Sinister Spirit - InquisitiveChristianity.com

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Sinister Spirit
Tracing the Spirit of Antichrist through Current
Issues
By Timothy Zebell
© Timothy Zebell, 2014
Table of Contents
PREFACE …………………………………………………………………………………………..…….
INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………….
SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST – Part 1 ….……………………………………………………
SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST – Part 2 ...…………………………………………………….
OPPOSING THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST ….………………………………………
CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM – Part 1 .………………………………………………………
CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM – Part 2 ...…………………………………………………….
THE PARANORMAL – Part 1 .….………………………………………………………….
THE PARANORMAL – Part 2 ….…………………………………………………………..
EVOLUTION – Part 1 ..………………………………………………………….……………..
EVOLUTION – Part 2 .……………………………………………………………………………
TRANSHUMANISM – Part 1 .………………………………….…………….………………
TRANSHUMANISM – Part 2 .………………………….…………………………………….
DARK TECHNOLOGIES ……………..………………………………………………………….
HOMOSEXUALITY ………………………….….………..…………………………………………
CONCLUSION ………………………………………………..…………………………………….….
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373
(Due to space, some appendices are included in this book, and others
are available online at www.InquisitiveChristianity.com.)
APPENDIX A
A.1 The Antichrist ………………………………………………….………………….
A.2 Spiritual Ranks of Authority …………………………….………………….
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391
APPENDIX B
B.1 Montanism …………………………………………………………….…………….. 395
B.2 Christian Leaders Who Embrace, Emulate, and/or
Promote Contemplative Mystics ………………………………..………. 403
B.3 Contemplative Books ………………………………………………………..… 408
B.4 Organizations Helping to Bring Contemplative
Spirituality Into the Church ………………………………………….……
411
B.5 Christian Colleges and Seminaries that Promote
Contemplative Spirituality ………………………………………………….
414
B.6 Is Contemplative Spirituality Essentially Witchcraft? ………. ONLINE
B.7 History of the Charismatic Movement ……………………………... ONLINE
B.8 Chart: History of the Charismatic Movement ………………….. ONLINE
APPENDIX C
C.1 Harry Potter …………………………………………………………………………
C.2 Twilight …………………………………………………………………………………
C.3 Paranormal Gateways to Vampirism, Wicca,
and the Occult ……………………………………………………………………..
C.4 Witchcraft in the Church …………………………………………………….
C.5 Cryptoids Around the World ………………………………………………
C.6 The Similarities Between Alien Abduction Accounts
and Ritual Abuse Survivor Accounts ……………………….………..
C.7 Is There More Behind These Stories Than a Wild
Imagination? …………………………………………………………………….…
C.8 Good Questions to Apply to Paranormal entertainment …
C.9 Mormon Doctrine Exalts the Fall of Adam and Eve …….....
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465
ONLINE
ONLINE
ONLINE
ONLINE
ONLINE
APPENDIX D
D.1 Micro-organisms and the Quest to Create Life
in the Laboratory …................................................................... ONLINE
D.2 What About the Missing Links? …………………………………………. ONLINE
APPENDIX E
E.1 The Health Risks of Gay Sex ……………………………………………… ONLINE
E.2 Thinking Biblically About Homosexuality …………………………... ONLINE
WORKS CITED LIST …………………………………………………………………...........
480
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this
present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly places.
~Ephesians 6:12
Preface
This book, though informative to read, is intended to be taught and to
supplement such teaching. Therefore, it is not structured for the popular
audience. Instead, it is arranged to match a teacher’s cadence—both in the
presentation of the content as well as in the necessary repetition of this
content when teaching. Also, this book cites internet sources wherever possible
in order to provide the greatest level of convenience for the teacher to verify
the information himself. Furthermore, when a cited source relies upon another
source for its information, every attempt has been made to find and provide
within the footnotes both the original source information as well as the cited
source. This too is intended to make it as convenience as possible for the
individual who wishes to verify the material cited in this book.
At times additional information to support or clarify various statements would
be helpful, except that this information would interrupt the flow of thought if
included within the body of the book. For this reason, such information is
included within the footnotes. To distinguish these among the over 800
footnotes, these particular footnote numbers have been emboldened and
underlined.
Also included in the footnotes is the text of Scripture passages which are
referenced in the body of the book but are not quoted. This book cites nearly
1,000 Bible verses. Because it can be cumbersome to pause and look up
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SINISTER SPIRIT: TRACING THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST THROUGH CURRENT EVENTS
each of these references while reading the book, the text from most of these
passages has been include within the footnotes. Unless otherwise noted, all
Bible verses are taken from the English Standard Version of the Bible. This
translation was chosen because the English rendering of the original
manuscripts is similar to contemporary English speech while also maintaining
as literal a translation as possible.
Because this book is intended to be taught, extensive appendices have been
included to supplement the body of the book. Some of these appendices are
included in the back of the book, and others are available online at
www.InquisitiveChristianity.com. These appendices are designed to provide the
reader with a fuller understanding of issues which are mentioned within the
book but are not expounded upon. Also, they are intended to provide those
who wish to teach through this book with enough information to field many of
the questions that are likely to be asked. Given that this is the intended
purpose of the appendices, this book relies upon the works of others wherever
such works seem sufficient. By doing so, not only is valuable information
relayed to the reader, but hopefully the reader will also be encouraged to
further investigate the works of these other authors.
Also included online at www.InquisitiveChristianity.com is an entire database of
supplemental websites, media content, blogs, and books related to many of the
topics addressed in this book. These resources constitute some of the best
resources the author could find both in favor and against these topics. Readers
are strongly encouraged to visit the website.
The author’s prayer is that this book will be helpful. It is the result of many
years of research. The included content is the author’s best understanding
regarding these issues. He has sought to be as fair and yet simplified in his
explanation of these topics as possible; nevertheless, he remains fallible. For
this reason, any who disagree, are intrigued, or are confused regarding these
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PREFACE
topics are encouraged to study them further. However, given the spiritual
nature of these issues, anyone interested in studying these subjects is strongly
encouraged to place himself underneath the guidance and accountability of
another pastor. Hebrews 13:171 teaches that God has provided His church
with pastors who can help guard our souls. Some of the popular teachings
addressed in this book appear to be spiritual and seem sound, but they are
heresy and cancerous to the soul. For this reason, everyone would do well to
take advantage of this safe-guard that God has provided for our spiritual wellbeing.
1
Hebrews 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over
your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning,
for that would be of no advantage to you.
iii
Introduction
Every Christian is involved in an unseen cosmic war against spiritual forces.
Intellectually, we understand that these spiritual forces are our true enemy, but
on a practical level, this is not so readily apparent. Instead, our focus is drawn
to the tangible threats which surround us because of social issues. Many
become obsessed with confronting and resisting these social threats. As such,
they boycott products, promote specific legislation, and endorse political
candidates. Certainly, this is not wrong, and if truth be told, we could use more
people who care enough to tackle these issues. However, we must be careful
that we do not lose sight of the bigger picture. Our true enemy is not mortal.
Our true enemy is not the individual who represents and inspires these issues.
Behind these representatives and undergirding these social threats is a far more
menacing foe. At the core of today’s social issues is a spirit that is manifesting
itself in the physical realm via these issues.
As time progresses, this spirit is becoming more brazen in its efforts. In fact,
during a 2014 interview with Tony Perkins,2 Franklin Graham3 publicly
2
As a pioneering Louisiana legislator, Tony Perkins authored such measures as the nation’s first
Covenant Marriage law. He now serves as the president of the Family Research Council. Additionally,
he hosts a daily national radio program titled “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins,” and he sends a
daily Washington Update e-mail to grass roots political activists.
3 Franklin Graham is the son of the renowned evangelist Billy Graham. He serves as the
president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, which is an evangelical Christian organization that uses
1
INTRODUCTION
declared that many American political leaders are now openly anti-Christ in
their efforts. CNS News reports, “Some of the people working in the Obama
administration and in the White House are trying to ‘completely secularize our
military’ and are ‘hostile to Christians,’ to the point that they ‘are anti-Christ
in what they say and in what they do’ …”4 No longer does this spirit of
antichrist feel the need to lurk in the shadows. Today it is revealing itself as the
motivating force behind many of our world’s hottest headlines.
Our struggle against this spirit is intensifying. For this reason, it is imperative
that we be capable of identifying the true enemy. Scripture provides us with
seventy-six characteristics which constitute this spirit of antichrist. Moreover, it
supplies the Christian with five specific litmus tests to identity this spirit. In this
book, we will study each of these identifying factors. Once we are capable of
defining and identifying this spirit, we will then trace this spirit through six
categories of current events which spawn numerous social issues. Along the
way, we will also question how we as Christians ought to respond to these
matters:
1) Christian Mysticism
Contemplative spirituality has taken the church by storm. This issue is no
longer relegated to the fringe elements of Christianity. No denomination
is immune to its effects, despite the fact that it is the legacy of Roman
Catholic monks who merged Eastern spirituality with Christianity. We will
consider several of the most prominent practices of this “Christian”
mysticism, such as contemplative prayer, the prayer labyrinth, yoga, lectio
divina, etc.
humanitarian aid to victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine as a means of
sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.
4 Chapman, “Franklin Graham.”
2
2) The Paranormal
America is obsessed with paranormal entities and practices, but do people
understand their true nature? In England, more people believe in the
existence of aliens than believe in the existence of God. Millions of
people around the world believe they have encountered the paranormal,
but when they turn to those who should be best equipped to provide
them with answers—the church—they are disbelieved or ignored. Because
of this, they become offended and seek answers elsewhere.
3) Evolution
The theory of Darwinian evolution is a clear example of how our
adversary has blinded the minds of men. This blindness is not based upon
facts, or even upon what is more plausible. This blindness is based upon a
spirit that rejects the authority of God and His Word. What then is the
antidote to this theory which has nearly monopolized the scientific
community?
4) Transhumanism
Humanity as we know it is being fundamentally altered. Using technology
and genetic manipulation, man is transforming the human into something
post-human. Is it possible that technology might allow mankind to
transform itself into gods?
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INTRODUCTION
5) Dark Technologies
U.S. patents at least a decade old detail plans to use radio frequency
identification microchips (RFID) to create the ultimate control grid. This
combined with the smart grid—something which is already partially
implemented—proves the realistic nature of the Bible’s prophecy
regarding a system known as “the Mark of the Beast.” Realizing this, how
should the Christian respond to the creation of this Mark of the Beastlike infrastructure?
6) Homosexuality
It appears as if America is coming out of the closet. In the twenty-first
century, the homosexual issue has invaded everything from high school
homecomings, to the Grammy’s, to the judicial system. As homosexual
marriages take center-stage, countless pastors are compromising their
beliefs on the subject. Is it possible to absolutely prove God’s perspective
on the issue of homosexuality?
Controversy is inevitable in a study such as this. The topics covered in this
book are inherently contentious and unbelievably complex. Recognizing this, it
is important to state up front that this series is intended to be only an
introductory overview of the spirit of antichrist and of its relationship to current
events. Ultimately, the goal of this series is to expose ourselves to what is
transpiring in the world around us and to identify how these social issues are
merely varying facets of our spiritual war. Undergirding each of these issues is
the spirit of antichrist.
Keep in mind that Ephesians 6:12 teaches that our struggle is not against
flesh and blood. We are involved in a spiritual battle. These issues stretch far
4
beyond their social impact. These issues are ultimately spiritual in nature. I
hope that we will not become so distracted by the social implications and
possibilities involved in these topics that we lose sight of the big picture. As
Christians, we are no longer primarily citizens of our home countries. We are
not even principally citizens of Earth. Instead, we are primarily citizens of
heaven. Our first priority is to God and to His Kingdom.
Please allow the author to apologize in advance for any offenses. His
conclusions are derived from countless hours of studying these matters. They
are his best understanding of what is occurring in our society and what the
Bible teaches regarding these things. If he writes something which is not
appreciated, then please study the matter further. If, after studying the matter,
there is still disagreement, then this can be done with an informed and clear
conscience (Rom. 14:4–55).
5
Romans 14:4–5: Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his
own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One
person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should
be fully convinced in his own mind.
5
Chapter 1
Spirit of Antichrist – Part 1
“The spirit of the antichrist” is a phrase which is unique to the epistles of the
Apostle John. He identifies this spirit as an attitude, or a disposition, which is
established in the spiritual realm and is fostered by a spiritual entity. Even so,
this attitude is propagated through mortal individuals. This spirit of antichrist
poses a grave threat to every Christian. It actively undermines the foundations
of Christianity and is conditioning the world for its future acceptance of the
individual known as “the Antichrist.” Regretably, this spirit has been
overshadowed by its coming namesake. Christians may be quick to study the
individual known as Antichrist, but they are often slower to commit serious
study to this spirit. It is the spirit of antichrist that characterizes the mindset of
Satan and his followers. As such, it is of paramount importance that we be
capable of identifying this enemy spirit. In this chapter we will discover that
Scripture provides us with seventy-six characteristics and five specific litmus
tests for identifying the spirit of antichrist.
We are bombarded by this spirit on a daily basis. Careful observation reveals it
lurking behind several of the most influential areas of current events. It may be
a surprise to learn that the spirit of antichrist rests not only in the foundations
of Darwinian evolution and the homosexual movement, but even in such areas
6
as technology and popular Christianity. However, before we delve into a study
of the spirit of antichrist in current events, we must be certain that we can
both clearly define and identify this spirit.
As Christians, we have been commissioned to serve as Christ’s representatives
on Earth (2 Cor. 5:206). In fact, the very term “Christian” means “little
Christ,” or “Christ-like.” According to Romans 8:9,7 every Christian has the
Spirit of Christ living in him; therefore, our struggle with the spirit of antichrist
penetrates to the very core of our spiritual battle. Its goal is the antithesis of
Christ’s goal for His church. For a Christian to embrace both the Spirit of
Christ and the spirit of antichrist is inconsistent with the life to which Christ
has called him.8 These spirits are continually at war with one another. This is
what we read in Galatians 5:16–17, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you
will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against
the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are
opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”
In studying this subject, it is important to first realize that the spirit of antichrist
is not confined to only one individual. This is what the Apostle John teaches in
1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that
antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know
that it is the last hour.” The spirit of antichrist is an attitude which is
established in the spiritual realm and manifested in the physical realm. Many
spend their efforts targeting specific industries and organizations, secret
6
2 Corinthians 5:20: Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal
through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
7 Romans 8:9: You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God
dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
8 Just because an individual is a Christian who possesses the Holy Spirit does not mean that he
is incapable of following after the spirit of antichrist. Rather, Galatians 5 indicates that there is a
teeter-totter effect between the two spirits. When the Holy Spirit is given greater control over an
individual’s life, the spirit of antichrist’s influence is diminished, and vice versa. Consequently, a person
cannot fully embrace both spirits. The embrace of one comes at the expense of the other.
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SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST – PART 1
societies, individuals, or religions as culprits for the evil within the world. The
spirit of antichrist does not originate from David Rockefeller, George Soros,
the Bankers, Free Masons, the Illuminati, the United Nations, Zionism,
Satanism, Hollywood, or any number of other common targets. Instead, we are
dealing with principalities, powers, rulers, and spiritual wickedness in high
places (Eph. 6:129). We are dealing with demonic powers within Satan’s
realm. Individuals, industries, organizations, secret societies, etc. can wield great
influence in the spread and acceptance of the spirit of antichrist, but ultimately
they are mere pawns.
The spirit of antichrist characterizes the mindset of our spiritual opponents as a
whole. In other words, the spirit of antichrist is the agenda and goal of our
adversary. It is an attitude which finds its origin in none other than Satan
himself. This is made apparent when we read in Revelation 13:410 that it is
he who will empower the individual who is so characterized by this spirit that
he bears its namesake.
Satan is credited by God as the one chiefly responsible for leading the world
astray and setting it against God. This is the plain teaching of Revelation 12:9
which says, “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent,
who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was
thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” It was
Satan who first set himself against God, and it is Satan who is most
responsible for causing others to join in his defiance of God.
9
Ephesians 6:12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against
the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly places.
10 Revelation 13:4: And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the
beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?’
In Revelation 13:4, Satan is referred to as “the dragon”—a title which is established in
Revelation 12:9—and Antichrist is referred to as “the beast.” This title for the Antichrist comes from
Daniel chapter 7.
8
Satan, who is also called “the devil,” “the dragon” and “that ancient serpent”
in Revelation 12:9,11 deceived one–third of the angels12 of heaven into
leaving their posts and pledging their allegiance to him (Rev. 12:3–413).
Eventually Satan will lead these angels in a violent assault against heaven’s
gates. Revelation 12:7 says, “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his
angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought
back,”
Note that Scripture not only identifies Satan as being responsible for the fall of
the angels, but he is also credited as their commander. In order to distinguish
these traitorous angels from those who remain faithful to God, Christians
commonly refer to the fallen angels by the Greek title “daimonion,” or
“demon.” These demons continue to fight for Satan on his behalf. Today the
fallen angels are merely executing Satan’s master plan. In Ephesians 6:11–
12, the Apostle Paul teaches that it is Satan, called “the Devil,” who is
responsible for engineering the strategy of the demons, “Put on the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against
the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” These rulers, authorities,
cosmic powers, and forces of evil are all contrasted against that which is flesh
11
Revelation 12:9: And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called
the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels
were thrown down with him.
12 In Scripture, angels are often symbolized by stars. As an example, consider Job 38:4 and 7
which says, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have
understanding. … when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” In
Hebrew poetry, the second line clarifies and emphasizes the first line. Thus, the sons of God are
referred to as the morning stars who witnessed and celebrated the creation of the earth.
13 Revelation 12:3–4a: And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon,
with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the
stars of heaven and cast them to the earth.
Angels are often symbolized in Scripture by stars. See footnote 78.
9
and blood. As such, these are not human forces, but are titles for spiritual
powers who fight against us. According to Ephesians 6:11–12, these
demons execute Satan’s schemes.
Just as Satan is responsible for causing the fall of the angels, so also he is
responsible for causing the fall of the human race. It was Satan who
encouraged mankind to act in defiance of God, thus joining with him in his
fight against the Most High. Genesis 3:1–6 recounts this story. Keep in mind
that Satan is identified in Revelation 12:914 as “that ancient serpent:”
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that
the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say,
‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to
the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God
said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the
garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to
the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat
of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good
and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and
that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to
make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to
her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Today Satan continues to lead men in defiance of God. We are warned that he
is like a prowling lion looking for opportunities to lead men further into sin (1
Peter 5:815). Moreover, we are told that Satan is so consumed with this spirit
of defiance that he will never cease his efforts. Even after losing his entire
kingdom to Christ in the battle of the ages, and after being chained in the
14
See footnote 11.
1 Peter 5:8: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
15
10
bottomless pit for one thousand years, Satan will still deceive and incite
rebellion when provided the opportunity (Rev. 20:7–816).
Jesus called Satan the father of all lies in John 8:44, “You are of your father
the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from
the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in
him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the
father of lies.” As such, Satan is the original cause behind the lie that one can
stand against Christ and be successful, and he has been spreading this lie since
the Genesis account. Satan is the root source of the spirit of antichrist. It was
he who gave birth to this spirit—or mindset—and it is he who spreads this lie
through the aid of anyone who is allied with him.
Since Satan’s influence and power are great, many make the mistake of
considering Satan to be God’s opposite. They elevate and credit him with a
form of omniscience, omnipresence, and near omnipotence. However, Satan is
not God’s opposite. He is a creation of God. Satan was created an angel, and
he remains an angel today—albeit a fallen one. C. S. Lewis correctly says that
Satan is not God’s opposite; he is Michael’s opposite.17 Unlike God, Satan is
not all-powerful, all-knowing, or all-present. Satan is a finite creation with
very definite limitations. Because of this, he relies upon many others to assist
him in his goals. These minions are those who have allied themselves with
Satan in his rebellion against God, and they exist in both the physical and the
spiritual realm.
Jesus declares in Matthew 12:30 that there are only two sides in this spiritual
war, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather
16
Revelation 20:7–8a: And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from
his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth,
17 “Satan, the leader or dictator of devils, is the opposite, not of God, but of Michael.”
(Lewis, 6.)
11
with me scatters.” Anyone—human or angel—who is not united with Christ is
united with Satan. There is no neutral or middle ground. There is no third
party. Everyone has chosen a side. Either he has submitted himself unto God,
or he is actively rebelling against God.
Satan is called the god of this world in 2 Corinthians 4:4.18 This is because
Satan deceived Adam as the representative head of mankind into joining him.
As such, Satan has been granted authority over the kingdoms of the world
(Luke 4:5–619). Everyone who is born into this world is born into the
kingdom of Satan. However, those who are spiritually re-born into Christ’s
kingdom are freed from Satan’s authority. Colossians 2:13–15 declares,
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.
This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities
[these are titles for spiritual powers] and put them to open shame, by
triumphing over them in him.”
This is the reason Christians are called to separate from the mindset of the
world. The world is subject to the authority of Satan. How can anyone fight for
someone if he has the mindset of that person’s enemy? We cannot think like
Satan and effectively fight for God. James 4:4 warns us, “You adulterous
people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?
Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy
of God.”
18
2 Corinthians 4:4: In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the
unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image
of God.
19 Luke 4:5–6: And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a
moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been
delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.”
12
Everyone who does not unite himself with Christ through faith chooses
automatically to instead unite himself with Satan (John 3:1820). As such, he
is assisting Satan in his goal of establishing and furthering the spirit of
antichrist on earth. Because the spirit of antichrist is the mindset of Satan,
anyone who is united with Satan necessarily promotes Satan’s mindset and
agenda of constructing an environment and atmosphere which is dominated by
the spirit of anti-Christ. There are no exceptions. This is why Jesus specified
in Matthew 12:3021 that everyone is an active participant in the war. If an
individual is not actively working to assist Christ in His ministry, he is actively
working to disrupt Christ’s ministry.
There are no passive onlookers in the spiritual war. Not everyone may realize
the ways in which they are helping Satan further this spirit, but ignorance does
not change this reality. Each and every individual is waging war. Either he is
waging war for God, or he is waging war for Satan.
It is important to realize that Satan’s forces are united in their efforts. There is
no such thing as “good” demons battling “evil” demons. There is no white
magic battling against black magic. Any apparent infighting amongst the forces
of Satan is merely an illusion to further his ultimate goal of establishing the
spirit of antichrist on earth. Jesus Himself declares that Satan’s house is not
divided against itself in Mark 3:23–26, “And he called them to him and said
to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided
against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against
itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against
himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.’”
20
John 3:18: Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is
condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Every person who does not place his faith in Jesus Christ is condemned because, through his
unbelief, he is united with Satan against Christ.
21 Matthew 12:30: Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with
me scatters.
13
Satan is the mastermind behind all false religions. Therefore, any warring
between these religious sects is merely the will and desire of Satan.
Demonically controlled organizations which reveal the “truth” about the evil of
other organizations are merely revealing what Satan wants the public to see, in
the manner in which he wants them to see it. Often there are factors and
motivations which will never be fully known here on earth. Evil never battles
evil in any way which will cause true harm to itself. Rather, everything is
specially calculated to further the goals consistent with the spirit of antichrist.
In a sense, it is as if earth is a giant cosmic chess board. Sometimes Satan
must sacrifice a pawn to save his queen. Given the scale of this conflict, it can
be difficult for us to envision the big picture, but it is important that we realize
how complex Satan’s methods truly are. Our culture tends to imagine the inner
workings of Satan’s command by picturing a horned monster shouting
commands at sniveling little demons. In reality, Satan’s forces attempt to mimic
the organization and structure that God Himself created among the ranks of
His holy angels. Satan does not want mankind to understand how real,
complex, and important the order of the spiritual realm truly is. Therefore, he
is satisfied when our culture represents angels as effeminate winged creatures
who fly around helplessly watching humanity turn its back upon God. If he can
relegate angels and demons to cartoonish caricatures portraying inefficiency
and weakness, then he eliminates the urgency in the minds of people to
identify and resist his forces.
To begin breaking down our misconceptions about the organization and
structure of angels and fallen angels, it is helpful to realize that the term
“angel” is used in a general sense to refer to any spiritual power who is not
God. Scripture affords the possibility that there may be many races among the
angels. We read about angels who look like men (Dan. 10:5;22 Heb.
22
Daniel 10:5: I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt
of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
14
13:223), others who look like a combination of animals (Eze. 1:5–1124),
and angels with six wings and eyes covering their entire body (Rev. 4:8 25).
Also, Scripture specifically refers to Cherubim and Seraphim angels (Isa. 6:2,
6;26 Gen. 3:2427). These titles may be classifications of responsibility, or they
may identify distinct races.
We have no means of understanding angels beyond what is provided us in
Scripture. Some have postulated that these different races of angels are
actually all one single race which has the ability to transform its appearance.
Others believe the descriptions are nothing more than symbolism. While there
is no strong Biblical basis for these opinions, they are an attempt to account
for the varying depictions of angels in Scripture without accepting the idea of
angelic races, choosing instead to believe that “angel” refers to one single life
form. However, the more natural understanding of these passages indicate that
the term “angel” is a general title just as “animal” or “human” are general
23
Hebrews 13:2: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares.
24 Ezekiel 1:5–11: And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And
this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had
four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. And
they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And
the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. Each one of them went
straight forward, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human
face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side,
and the four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above.
Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their
bodies.
25 Revelation 4:8: And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all
around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God
Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
26 Isaiah 6:2, 6: Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his
face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. … Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
27 Genesis 3:24: He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the
cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
15
titles which encompass a great deal of variety. Of course, “angel” is not the
only title used in Scripture to depict spiritual powers who are not God. Jude
uses the title “glorious ones” in Jude 1:8, “Yet in like manner these people
also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme
the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil,
was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a
blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’” This provides insight
into the nature of angels. They are glorious beings. Surprisingly, Jude uses this
term specifically of Satan. Jude, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
illustrates the foolishness of humans who would blaspheme the glorious ones
by recalling that Michael—himself a glorious being—did not blaspheme the
glorious being, Satan. We must not lose sight of the fact that fallen angels are
still angels. They are still glorious creatures. Fallen angels are not twisted
monstrosities. Rather, they still appear as glorious beings who can be confused
with God’s righteous angels of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, “And no
wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
The second step in breaking down our misconceptions is to recognize the
variety of ranks among the angels—both fallen and unfallen. Within the general
class of “angel,” Scripture reveals a hierarchal system of authority. Colossians
1:16 says, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things
were created through him and for him.” God’s system of hierarchy among the
angels is mirrored by mankind in his systems of authority. Most likely, this is
why God uses the same terms to define classifications of authority among
humans, holy angels, and fallen angels alike.
Scripture does not provide us with every classification of spiritual power.
Nevertheless, we are presented with five lists identifying what appear to be the
key classifications of angelic beings that we encounter. These lists are included
in Appendix A.2. The titles of these classifications lend us insight into their
16
authority and spheres of influence. By comparing these titles against authorities
in the physical realm who bear the same titles, we can speculate as to the
specific ways in which the angels in these classifications may exercise their
authority:
Thrones (Thronos) [Col. 1:1628]
Thronos means “throne,” “a stately seat,” or “a potentate.”29 This carries
the idea of chief or final authority.30 As such, it is reasonable to believe
that this classification is a title for the spiritual king over a nation or an
empire.
King (Basileus) [Rev. 9:1131]
Basileus means “a sovereign,” or “king.”32 This is very likely the same
classification as thronos—a spiritual king over a nation, empire, or group
of subjects.33
28
Colossians 1:16: For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones [thronos] or dominions [kuriotes] or rulers [arche] or authorities [exousia]—all
things were created through him and for him.
29 Strong, Strong’s, #G2362, 47.
30 The word thronos is often used in Scripture to depict God's authority as ruler (Matt. 5:34;
Acts 7:49), and it is also used of humans to identify their authority to rule or judge (Matt. 19:28;
Luke 1:32). It is generally used in relation to governments or judging.
It could be that the Prince of Persia, the Prince of Greece, and the Chief Prince of Israel in the
book of Daniel are examples of this spiritual potentate classified as thronos. We read about these
princes—who are most likely all Chief Princes—in Daniel 10:13, 20–21 and 12:1. These Chief
Princes appear to be thronos in that they are granted spiritual sovereignty over entire civilizations. It
does not follow that every Chief Prince is a thronos, as not every Chief Prince is necessarily potentate
over a nation. Nevertheless, the book of Daniel indicates that some angels may be classified as both a
Chief Prince and a thronos.
31 Revelation 9:11: They have as king [basileus] over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His
name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
17
Dominions (Kuriotes) [Col. 1:16,34 Eph. 1:21;35 2 Pet. 2:1036]
Kuriotes means “rulers,” “dominion,” or “government.”37 According to
Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament
Words, it denotes lordship.38 Kuriotes likely refers to angels who rule or
oversee vast spheres of influence in the world. This may be a
government, but it also may be such things as Hollywood, the music
industry, or the pornography industry. These are areas of influence which
are vastly powerful. They wield widespread influence and hold great
authority and control over others.
Archangel (Archaggelos) [Jude 1:939]
Archaggelos means “archangel,” or “a chief angel.”40 It is possible that
“archangel” is a title for one single angel who has authority over all other
angels.41
32
Strong, Strong’s, #G935, 21.
Like thronos, basileus carries the idea of a potentate and is used to depict the authority of
God as King (1 Tim. 1:17; Rev. 17:14) as well as humans as king over subjects and territories
(Matt. 14:9; 1 Peter 2:13, 17).
34 See footnote 28.
35 Ephesians 1:21: [F]ar above all rule [arche] and authority [exousia] and power [dunamis] and
dominion [kuriotes], and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to
come.
36 2 Peter 2:10: [A]nd especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise
authority [exousia]. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,
38 Vine, Vine’s, 181.
39 Jude 1:9: But when the archangel [archaggelos] Michael, contending with the devil, was
disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but
said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
33
18
Great/Chief Prince (Ri’shon Sar) [Dan. 10:1342]
This title is comprised of two words. Ri’shon means “first, in place, time,
or rank,”43 and sar means “prince,” “a head person (of any rank or
class),” “captain,” “chief,” “general,” “lord,” “governor,” “master,” or
“ruler.”44 These definitions give a clear picture of a ruler over rulers.
41
There is controversy over whether archaggelos is a single entity or a classification
encompassing several angels. The King James rendering of 1 Thessalonians 4:16 speaks of
archaggelos in singular terms, indicating that it may be a classification relegated to only one angel, “For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:” The NET Bible also translates this verse with the
definite article “the.” According to the translator’s notes, “Neither noun in the phrase (ἐν φωνῇ
ἀρχαγγέλου, “with the voice of the archangel”) has the article in keeping with Apollonius’
Canon. Since ἀρχάγγελος (archangelos) is most likely monadic, both nouns are translated as
definite in keeping with Apollonius’ Corollary (see ExSyn 250–51)” (NET Bible, Footnote 20,
2311.).
Michael is the only angel in Scripture who is granted the title archaggelos (Jude 1:941).
Nevertheless, to be fair, it is possible that archaggelos in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 is not referencing the
voice of the archangel Michael, but rather the pre-incarnate title of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament,
Jesus was commonly referred to as the “Angel of the Lord” who serves as the captain of the Lord’s
hosts (Josh. 5:14–15). Thus, 1 Thessalonians could refer to Jesus’ position as the chief ruler of the
angels.
Archaggelos may also be the New Testament title for “Chief Prince.” We know that Michael is an
archangel (Jude 1:9), and we know that he is a Chief Prince (Dan. 10:13). Michael is the Chief
Prince over the nation of Israel, however, according to Revelation 12:7, Michael is also the
commander over the angelic army that battles Satan and his angels. As such, it could be that Michael is
a Chief Prince over the nation of Israel, but he is also the archangel who rules over all other angels.
42 Daniel 10:13: The prince [sar] of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but
Michael, one of the chief [ri’shon] princes [sar], came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of
Persia,
43 Strong, Strong’s, #H7223, 140.
44 Strong, Strong’s, #H8269, 160.
19
Rulers (Arche / Archon) [Col. 1:16;45 Eph. 1:21;46 6:12;47 1
Peter 3:2248]
Arche means “principality,” “chief,” or “magistrate.”49 Arche are most
likely the same as the archons who are princes. The definition of
“principality” is “a state ruled by a prince, usually a relatively small state
or a state that falls within a larger state such as an empire.” Arche are
rulers underneath the authority of the ri’shon sar (Chief Princes). Given
that the ri’shon sar command authority over entire nations and empires,
arche may have authority over provinces, states, cities, and towns. The
arche wield great power and influence underneath the authority of the
ri’shon sar.
Authorities (Exousia) [Col. 1:16; Eph. 1:21;50 6:12;51 1 Pet.
3:2252]
Exousia means “power,” “authority,” “jurisdiction,” or “right.”53 This
word carries the idea of a right or legitimate claim over something.54
45
See footnote 28.
See footnote 35.
47 Ephesians 6:12: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers [arche],
against the authorities [exousia], against the cosmic powers over this present darkness [kosmokrator],
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places [poneria].
48 1 Peter 3:22: [W]ho has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels
[aggelos], authorities [exousia], and powers [dunamis] having been subjected to him.
50 See footnote 35.
51 See footnote 47.
52 See footnote 48.
54 Revelation 9:3–5 provides great insight into this term, “Then from the smoke came locusts
on the earth, and they were given power [exousia] like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were
told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do
46
20
Exousia are those angels who have a claim to power over a particular
sphere of influence. An example of this might be seen in the idea of
selling one’s soul to the devil. Exousia are then given a rightful claim over
the individual.
Cosmic Powers Over this Present Darkness (Kosmokrator) [Eph.
6:1255]
Kosmokrator is our abbreviated title for “Rulers of the Darkness of this
World.” The complete title is comprised of several words. Kosmokrator
means “a world ruler.”56 Skatos means “obscurity,” or “darkness.”57 And
aion means “age,” or “course.” Thus, a kosmokrator is literally a ruler
over the darkness of this age. This may be such darkness as world
hunger, eugenics, war, and slavery. These are vast and oppressive evils
which govern the course of this age.
Spiritual Forces of Evil in the Heavenly Places (Poneria) [Eph.
6:1258]
Poneria is our abbreviated title for “Spiritual Forces of Wickedness in
High Places.” The complete title is comprised of several words.
Pneumatikos means “non-carnal,” “ethereal,” “supernatural,” or
not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but
not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.” These
demonic entities from the bottomless pit are granted power over something in particular.
55 See footnote 47.
58 See footnote 47.
21
“(daemonically) a spirit.”59 Poneria means “depravity,” “malice,” “plots,”
“sins,” “iniquity,” or “wickedness.”60 And Epouranios means “above the
sky,” “celestial,” “heavenly,” or “high.”61 Poneria is what generally comes
to mind when we today think about demons. They are spiritual forces
responsible for inciting and overseeing such things as rape, murder,
incest, and theft. Poneria are responsible for instigating many of those
things which our minds conjure when we think of wickedness and evil.
Powers (Dunamis) [Eph. 1:21;62 Rom. 8:38;63 1 Pet. 3:2264]
Dunamis means “miraculous power,” “strength,” “mighty (wonderful)
work,” “force,” “(worker of) miracle,” or “ability.”65 Dunamis are those
angels responsible for many of the supernatural feats which are difficult to
explain. They are likely what are considered ghosts or poltergeists. The
Dunamis are those angels who empower witches and sorcerers, and
Eastern mystics.
Angels (Aggelos) [Rom. 8:38;66 1 Peter 3:2267]
Aggelos means “angel," or “messenger.”68 This term most often occurs
as a general reference to spiritual powers other than God. Therefore, as a
59
62 See footnote 35.
63 Romans 8:38: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels [aggelos] nor rulers
[arche], nor things present nor things to come, nor powers [dunamis],
64 See footnote 48.
66 See footnote 63.
67 See footnote 48.
60
22
specific classification, the definition “messenger” is preferred over
“angel.” Aggelos are messengers. It is likely they who are responsible for
automatic writing, communication with the dead, psychic prophecies, and
alien messages.
The above list is not exhaustive. Most likely there are further classifications of
spiritual powers which have not been provided us. Ephesians 1:21 says, “[F]ar
above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name
that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (emphasis
added) Not every classification has been named for us, but it is not necessary
that we know everything about every classification of spiritual forces. We have
been given enough explanation so as not to be surprised by the interaction of
the spiritual with the physical.
When we recognize that an entire class of fallen angels are focused upon
performing miraculous feats, we should not be surprised that Christians
encounter lying signs and wonders. Christians should exercise caution before
accepting all healings, speaking in tongues, and being slain in the spirit as the
workings of the Holy Spirit. When we test these spirits, we may find that
dunamis fallen angels are truly responsible for many such miraculous feats.
Likewise, many dreams, visions, prophecies, and automatic writing may truly be
the workings of evil aggelos (fallen messenger angels) rather than the Holy
Spirit.
God did not give us this knowledge of the spiritual realm without reason.
Rather, equipped with the understanding that the spiritual realm is complex
and highly organized, we can better prepare ourselves for battle. Our enemy is
efficient and well prepared to wage war in many different ways. Consequently,
some battles will be greater than others. In some cases, exousia may have
68
23
legitimate claim to power over individuals or organizations. In some cases, we
may be struggling with a fallen angel of great and wide-spread authority.69 In
any case, spiritual warfare is very real. Satan exists, and he is driven by the
spirit of antichrist. Moreover, Satan commands a highly organized spiritual
force who share his mindset. Once again, this mindset is none other than the
spirit of antichrist. It is a mindset which sets itself in rebellion against Christ.
The stakes are high, and Satan has not rashly engaged the God of the universe
and His creation in spiritual war. Rather, Satan and his forces are well
prepared and organized. This is why it is imperative that we too prepare
ourselves by properly equipping ourselves with the spiritual armor of God in
order that we might be adequately prepared to stand our ground against our
enemy (Eph. 6:10–1870).
69
Consider the prophet Daniel. When he prayed to God asking for wisdom, he was living in a
realm of spiritual darkness controlled by the ri’shon sar of Persia. Consequently, God’s answer to his
prayers was hindered (Daniel 10:12-14).
In Mark 9:17–29, Jesus taught His disciples that not every spiritual battle can be fought in the
same way. Some battles require more diligence or a greater mastery of the Word of God. Some battles
require that we pray for greater spiritual re-enforcements to help us break the enemy’s authority. It is
important that we understand this lest we be too quick to give up. With Christ, all things are possible,
but spiritual victory is not always easy, immediate, or even ours.
70 Ephesians 6:10–18: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on
the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do
not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic
powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore
take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done
all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the
breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the
gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert
with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
24
Chapter 2
Spirit of Antichrist – Part 2
Satan is striving to establish a kingdom in which the spirit of antichrist is so
pervasive that the world will accept an individual who fully embodies and
personifies this spirit. Among Christians today, this individual is commonly
called “the Antichrist.”
The notion of a coming Antichrist has long captivated the imagination of
Christians. For many, he has replaced Christ as the central figure in Biblical
studies of the end times. Many Christians have become so fixated with the
individual known as the Antichrist that they have lost sight of the fact that the
account of the book of Revelation is the story of Christ’s ultimate and final
victory. In the end, the Antichrist will be nothing more than a defeated foe
who has been brought down to hell (Isa. 14:9–11;71 Rev. 19:2072).
71
Isaiah 14:9–11: Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the
shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings
of the nations. All of them will answer and say to you: ‘You too have become as weak as we! You
have become like us!’ Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid
as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers.
72 Revelation 19:20: And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its
presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and
those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with
sulfur.
25
Throughout the centuries Christians have diligently sought to distinguish who
the Antichrist might be. This quest has largely revolved around in-depth studies
of Bible prophecy. It is true that a vast amount of information is provided in
prophecy for the discerning Christian to identify the Antichrist when he
eventually arises to power. Nevertheless, the nature of prophecy is such that
the identity of the Antichrist as an individual will likely never be known until his
rise to power begins. Instead, the Christian has been given a far more valuable
means of protecting himself against the Antichrist. Rather than seek an
individual, we are told to look for a particular spirit. It is only through the
increase of this spirit that the individual known as the Antichrist will be capable
of rising to power. This is why Christ commissions us to test the spirits in 1
John 4:1–3.73
Every Christian should be intensely interested in identifying this spirit and
earnestly striving to fight against it. It is imperative that each Christian be
capable of defining and identifying the spirit of antichrist in order to protect
himself from succumbing to its influence. Without a clear understanding of
what this spirit is and how it manifests itself, the Christian cannot hope to
resist it. Ignorance of this spirit makes the Christian vulnerable to its attacks.
Fortunately, Scripture has provided us a myriad of means to identify it.
To begin with, we should recognize the distinction between the individual
commonly called “the Antichrist” and “the spirit of antichrist.” Scripture
informs us that the spirit of antichrist has been present and active in the earth
since at least the time that the Apostle John penned his epistles. This spirit
sets itself in place of, or against, Jesus Christ.
73
1 John 4:1–3: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they
are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of
God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit
that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was
coming and now is in the world already.
26
The spirit of antichrist is active in the world today and is working to establish
an environment which sets itself against Christ and which will provide for the
rise to power of the individual known as Antichrist. This individual will be the
embodiment and personification of this spirit and will set himself up on earth
in the place of Christ.
The actual term “antichrist” only appears four times in Scripture. In each case,
the term is used by the Apostle John. Surprisingly, we do not see the title
“Antichrist” appear anywhere in the book of Revelation. In fact, each use of
the term was penned before John’s vision of the end times occurred. Of these
four references, only two instances refer to the individual known as Antichrist.
Rather, the Apostle John seems to be focused primarily upon the spirit which
defines the individual whom he identifies as “Antichrist:”
1) 1 John 2:18 – “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard
that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come.
Therefore we know that it is the last hour.”
2) 1 John 2:22 – “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the
Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the
Son.”
3) 1 John 4:3 – “[A]nd every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not
from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was
coming and now is in the world already.”
4) 2 John 1:7 – “For many deceivers have gone out into the world,
those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.
Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
27
Our goal in this study is to learn to recognize and resist the spirit of antichrist.
One means of recognizing the spirit of antichrist is to consider the character
traits of the individual who will one day embody and personify this spirit.
Therefore, let us see what we can learn about the spirit of antichrist by
observing what we are told about the individual known as Antichrist.
In his epistles, the Apostle John appears to be coining the new title,
“Antichrist,” but he expects his readers to immediately recognize to whom he
is referring because he says in 1 John 2:18, “[Y]ou have heard that antichrist
is coming.” Until this point, Scripture has never referred to any individual by
the title “Antichrist.” Who then is this individual that John is calling Antichrist?
According to 1 John 2:18, the Antichrist is a prophesied individual. This is
someone whose arrival the church was anticipating but who had not yet
arrived at the time that John penned his epistle titled The Book of Revelation,
written approximately eighty-one to ninety-six A.D.74
“Antichrist” is defined as one who stands against, or in substitution for, Christ
and is opposed to Christ.75 According to Koinonia House Institute, thirty-three
titles are bestowed upon this individual throughout Scripture.76 In the book of
Daniel, he is referred to as the “little horn,” “bold-faced king,” “contemptible
person,” and “king of the north.” We will briefly consider several descriptive
passages, but the conclusion is that this individual will take a stand against
God, His Son Jesus Christ, the church, and righteousness in the last days.
74
The historians Irenaeus, Clement, and Eusebius all write that the Roman Emperor Domitian
exiled John to the Island of Patmos, and after Domitian died, John was allowed to return home.
Domitian ruled from eighty-one to ninety-six A.D.
75 “antichristos (G500) can mean either ‘against Christ’ or ‘instead of Christ,’ or perhaps,
combining the two, ‘one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ’ (Westcott).”
(Vine, Vine’s, 30.)
76 “Topical Bible Study: The AntiChrist,” Koinonia House, accessed Feb. 10, 2014,
http://www.khouse.org/topical_bible_study/antichrist/.
28
Therefore, it is reasonable that the Apostle John would refer to this person as
“Antichrist.” Consider the traits of this individual which led the Apostle John to
call him Antichrist:
Daniel 7:8, 20–21 – “[T]here came up among them another horn …
that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed
greater than its companions. As I looked, this horn made war with the
saints and prevailed over them,”
Note: Antichrist—referred to here as the “little horn”—will speak
boastfully. This description is often repeated. We eventually learn
that his boasts are even directed against God Himself. In this
passage, we read also that he will take his stand against God by
waging war against God’s people and defeating them.
Daniel 8:9–12 – “Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew
exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the
glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the
host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on
them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the
regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his
sanctuary was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together
with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw
truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.”
Note: Antichrist will magnify himself even unto the prince of the
host of heaven. Jesus is the prince of the host of heaven. We are
provided this clarification when we read “[T]he daily sacrifice was
taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.” Jesus is
the only one who receives sacrifice and a sanctuary for worship.
Thus, this “little horn”—Antichrist—makes himself equal or superior
29
to Jesus Christ. Moreover, he stands against God and His Son Jesus
Christ by preventing sacrifice and worship to God and by
desecrating His temple.
Once more, we read that the “little horn” opposes truth and will
wage war against God’s people. It even appears as though he will
wage war against God’s angels because it speaks of him attacking
the host of heaven and casting stars to the ground. Stars are a
common symbol for angels in Scripture.77 This may be a depiction
of the war in heaven that is described in Revelation 12:7–9.78 In
any case, the “little horn” clearly establishes himself against God and
against Jesus Christ, hence John’s title for him as “Antichrist.”
Daniel 11:28–33, 36 – “Forces from him shall appear and profane
the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering.
And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. He shall
seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who
know their God shall stand firm and take action. … “And the king shall do
as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god,
and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods.”
Note: Antichrist (the “King of the North”) will not only attack God’s
chosen nation of Israel, but he will also encourage and support
77
As an example, consider Job 38:4 and 7 which says, “Where were you when I laid the
foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. … when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” In Hebrew poetry, the second line clarifies and emphasizes
the first line. Thus, the sons of God are referred to as the morning stars who witnessed and celebrated
the creation of the earth.
78 Revelation 12:7–9: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the
dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any
place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called
the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels
were thrown down with him.
30
others to attack Israel. Time and again we are told that he will attack
and kill the people of God.
As we have already seen, Antichrist will be filled with pride and
arrogance, and will magnify himself even above God. In his pride, he
will blaspheme against God and will prevent sacrifices made to God.
Eventually he will set something in the temple of God that will
desecrate it. Many believe this will be an image of himself as god—
possibly the image we read about in Revelation 13:14–15.79 In
any case, it is clear that the Antichrist is most decidedly opposed to
God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Clearly, the prophecies provided in the book of Daniel sufficiently portray a
prophetic individual deserving of the title “Antichrist.” Several times it is
specifically prophesied that he will stand against Jesus Christ, both spiritually
and physically. Nevertheless, the Apostle John might also have had in mind the
teachings of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians. Paul is believed to have
written his second letter to the church at Thessalonica about forty years prior
to John’s epistles. In his letter, Paul spoke of the little horn in Daniel, but he
chose to refer to him as the “son of destruction” and “the man of
lawlessness.” Consider the traits of this individual which may have led the
Apostle John to later call him Antichrist:
2 Thessalonians 2:3–4, 7–9 – “Let no one deceive you in any way.
For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man
of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts
himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes
79
Revelation 13:14–15: [A]nd by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the
beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was
wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so
that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image
of the beast to be slain.
31
his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. … For the
mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it
will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be
revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and
bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the
lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and
wonders,”
Note: The son of destruction is deserving of the title “Antichrist.”
He will receive his power from Satan and will mimic Christ with all
kinds of lying signs and wonders. He will openly oppose God and
will eventually sit in the temple of God declaring himself to be God.
Seeking to exalt himself above God, the son of destruction will stand
against God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Certainly, John’s title of Antichrist is well suited to this little horn or Son of
Destruction. This individual will stand opposed to God and His Son Jesus
Christ and will offer himself as a substitute for Christ. Of course, if the spirit of
antichrist characterizes this little horn, or Antichrist, of the last days, then those
traits or qualities which define Antichrist also define the spirit of antichrist. This
seems to be what the Apostle John meant in 1 John 4:3.80
We are given a glimpse of these traits even in the very names conferred upon
Antichrist in the above passages:

Contemptible person (Dan. 11:2181)
80
1 John 4:2–3: By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.
This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
81 This title is not included in the above passages. Instead, it was merely alluded to on page 40.
Daniel 11:21 says, “In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not
been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.”
32


Son of destruction (2 Thess. 2:3)
Lawless one (2 Thess. 2:8)
We are also provided an extensive list in the above passages of specific traits
and qualities which define Antichrist and thus the spirit of antichrist:

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




Pride
Boasting
Violence
Irreverence
Duplicity
Lying
Self-will
Blasphemy
Deceit
Murder
Heresy
Already we have a sufficient degree of information to grasp the Apostle John’s
understanding of the spirit of antichrist. Nevertheless, John does not rely upon
his readers’ general Bible knowledge. Instead, he proceeds to supply several
ways of identifying the spirit of antichrist at work in the world today.
First, it is important to note that the Apostle John never limited the spirit of
antichrist to one particular individual. He recognized that it will eventually
culminate in an individual, but he also recognized that the spirit of antichrist is
far greater than any single person. The Apostle John realized that at the heart
of the individual known as Antichrist is a driving motivation which is rooted in,
and encouraged by, spiritual beings—Satan and his fallen angels—which he
identifies as the spirit of antichrist. This is an attitude of rebellion which sets
itself in place of or against Jesus Christ and the things of God. Consequently,
33
anyone who is defined by this spirit and is working to further its influence, can
rightly be called an antichrist. This is the intent behind 1 John 2:1882 and 1
John 4:2–3.83
Likewise, the Apostle Paul recognized this spirit and taught that it is active in
the world today. Paul’s title for the “spirit of antichrist” is “mystery of
lawlessness.” In 2 Thessalonians 2:7 the Apostle Paul writes, “For the mystery
of lawlessness is already at work.” This is likely the same spirit that Paul
references in Ephesians 2:2 which says, “[I]n which you once walked,
following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—” In any case, Paul
affirms John’s teaching that the spirit of antichrist is a very real and present
threat to the church.
According to the Apostle John, the spirit of antichrist can be recognized using
one of several very simple litmus tests:
1) The spirit of antichrist denies that Jesus has come to earth in
the flesh.
According to 2 John 1:7, “For many deceivers have gone out into the
world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.
Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” Also, 1 John 4:2–3 says,
“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not
confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which
you heard was coming and now is in the world already.”
82
1 John 2:18: Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming,
so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
83 See footnote 73.
34
Some people expressly state that Jesus never truly became a human, while
others simply imply it. Various explanations are offered, but the end
conclusion is that Jesus never became flesh. Such teaching denies the
validity of Scripture. Philippians 2:5–8 states that Jesus not only looked
human, He had the very nature of a human and even experienced death
as a human, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ
Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with
God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a
servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human
form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.” Additionally, this claim denies Jesus’ ministry of
suffering and of enduring temptation as an example for us. However,
Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been
tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Most importantly, this teaching denies
Jesus’ ministry on the cross. If Jesus never became human, then Jesus
could not have died for the sins of the world. This, of course, contradicts
many verses of Scripture, including Romans 10:9 which offers the gift of
salvation to anyone who is willing to receive it, “[B]ecause, if you confess
with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God
raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
At its heart, the teaching that Jesus did not come in the flesh undermines
and rejects the very gospel message itself. From this point, we can see that
the spirit of antichrist does not believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be.
It does not accept that Jesus is the Son of God, Messiah, human, or
possibly even reality. Consequently, when we hear people talk about Jesus
as a force or an idea, we know that we are listening to the spirit of
antichrist. Likewise, when we hear people claim that there are more ways
to God than through Jesus Christ alone, we know that we are listening to
35
2) The spirit of antichrist is a deceiver and a liar.
2 John 1:7 says, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world,
those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a
one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” The spirit of antichrist uses lies,
trickery, deceit, hypocrisy, and beguiling to spread its message.
Consequently, it will avoid confronting pure truth. This is what John
3:20–21 tells us, “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But
whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly
seen that his works have been carried out in God.” Nevertheless, do not
be fooled. The best deception incorporates elements of the truth. A lie
which is wrapped in truth is the most dangerous kind of lie. The spirit of
antichrist will use deception to present lies which look and sound like they
are truth. This may be by presenting genuine truth married to a lie. Thus,
the spirit of antichrist does not fear truth; it fears pure and undistorted
truth.
3) The spirit of antichrist denies that Jesus is the Messiah—or
“the Christ.”
1 John 2:22 says, “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the
Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.” This
denial was implied in the earlier denial that Jesus has come in the flesh.
The denial of Jesus as the Christ—as Messiah—can be subtle, as in
denying His humanity, but it can also be blatant. Fear of the gospel
message often drives this spirit to brazen denial of Jesus’ ministry as
Messiah—our Savior. Ultimately, if Jesus is not truly our Savior, then He is
not our only means to salvation. It denies that Jesus is God because if
Jesus is not the Messiah, then He cannot be God. And it denies that Jesus
36
is an authority over our lives. If Jesus is not our only means of salvation,
then we are not obligated to abide by His teachings. Thus, when we hear
statements like, “Do whatever you want,” “If it feels good, do it,” or
“There are no absolutes,” we are listening to the spirit of antichrist.
4) The spirit of antichrist denies that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 2:22 says, “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the
Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.” This
too was implied in the denial that Jesus has come in the flesh. Many
times, those denials which begin in subtlety soon progress to blatant
defiance.
By denying that Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus’ claim to deity is rejected.
For some, this is a complete rejection. They believe that Jesus was no
more than a man. When we hear people make statements like, “Jesus was
a good teacher just like Buddha, Krishna, or Ghandi,” we know that we
are listening to the spirit of antichrist. For others, Jesus is considered a
god—but not the true God. Such people consider Jesus to be a lesser god
or a powerful angel. We find this thinking especially prevalent in the
religion of Gnosticism.84 A popular example of this claim can be found in
Dan Brown’s best–selling book The Da Vinci Code.85
84
Gnosticism was a particularly prevalent heresy in the second century. It maintained that
salvation could be attained through secret knowledge. Among other things, this knowledge includes an
understanding that all things physical are inherently evil and are the creation of a rogue Archon named
Jehovah whom Gnostics call “The Fool” because he convinced His creation that he is the only god.
Furthermore, because the physical is considered evil, Gnostics deny that Jesus Christ became mortal
man, choosing instead to believe Him to be wholly spiritual.
85 The Da Vinci Code is a fictional mystery-thriller which pursues the idea that the Merovingian
kings of France were descended from the bloodline of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. In 2003, the
book was outsold only by J.K. Rowling’s book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. In 2006,
the book was adapted to a film of the same title.
37
5) The spirit of antichrist denies God’s testimony.
1 John 5:6, and 10–12 says:
This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the
water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one
who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. … Whoever believes in
the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not
believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the
testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the
testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of
God does not have life.
This testimony is that Jesus Christ—being both God and human—is the
source of eternal life. According to verse 6, this testimony is confirmed by
the Holy Spirit. It is important to realize that the Holy Spirit led godly men
to write this testimony in what we today call the Bible (2 Peter 1:20–
2186). The Bible is the record which testifies to the truth that Jesus is the
Son of God come to earth as a human to receive the penalty for our sins
and to offer us eternal life. If a person truly believes the testimony of the
Holy Spirit in the Word of God, then he will accept this truth. As such, he
will never accept the lies offered by the spirit of antichrist—that Jesus is
neither the Son of the God, nor the Messiah. Consequently, the spirit of
antichrist both denies the testimony and the authority of Scripture, and it
is the result of such denial.
(Minzesheimer, “‘Code.’”)
86 2 Peter 1:20–21: [K]nowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from
someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke
from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
38
Thus, we see that the spirit of antichrist is a mindset which sets itself against
Christ as a result of failing to submit to the authority of Scripture. The spirit of
antichrist:





Denies that Christ came in the flesh
o Does not believe that Jesus is whom He claimed to be
o Does not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Messiah,
human, or even reality
Is a liar and a deceiver
o Uses lies, hypocrisy, trickery, deception, and beguiling
Denies that Jesus is the Messiah
o Denies that Jesus is the only means to our salvation
o Denies that Jesus is God
o Denies that Jesus is an authority in our lives
Denies that Jesus is the Son of God
o Denies the deity of Christ
o Denies that God the Father and Jesus are one God
Denies the validity and authority of Scripture
We have already seen some of the fruit of this spirit of antichrist by observing
the qualities and traits of the individual known as Antichrist. However,
Scripture has far more to say about the effects, or fruit, of this spirit. We know
that the spirit of antichrist will be the prevalent and defining spirit of the last
days. Therefore, those qualities that we see in 2 Timothy which describe the
spirit of the last days are actually the fruit produced by the spirit of antichrist.
The following lists include the King James Version of the word in parenthesis
when the translation differs in order to provide a more complete understanding
of the fruit produced by the spirit of antichrist:
2 Timothy 3:1–9 – “But understand this, that in the last days there will
come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money,
39
proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving
good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather
than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its
power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into
households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray
by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a
knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so
these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified
regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be
plain to all, as was that of those two men.”

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
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Self Love
Love of Money (Coveting)
Arrogancy (Boasting)
Pride
Abuse (Blasphemy)
Disobedience to Parents
Ungratefulness
Unholiness
Heartlessness (Without Natural Affection)
Unappeasable (Truce-breaking)
Slander (False Accusations)
Lack of Self-control (Incontenence)
Brutality (Fierceness)
Hating What Is Good (Despising Those Who Are Good)
Treachery
Recklessness (Headiness)
Conceit (High Mindedness)
Love of Pleasure More Than Love of God
The Appearance of Godliness but Denying Its Power
40


Opposition to Truth (Resists Truth)
Foolishness
Note: In 2 Timothy 3:1–9, we also see that the spirit of antichrist
is subtle, stealthy, and enticing. It preys on the weak, the unfaithful,
and the unrighteous, and it specifically targets women. When we read
that it creeps into houses, we can also learn that the spirit of
antichrist targets people where they are most comfortable or feel
most safe.
Certainly, we now have plenty of means to identify the spirit of antichrist.
Nevertheless, it could be argued that some other lists in Scripture also describe
the fruit of this spirit. Given that the spirit of antichrist sets itself against, or is
opposed to Christ, it is reasonable to believe that it therefore embraces those
things which Christ opposes. As such, the fruit of the spirit of antichrist likely
includes those qualities which we are specifically told that Christ opposes.
According to Galatians 5:24, Christ conquered the nature of the flesh, thus
revealing His opposition to it, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Therefore, the fruit of the
flesh described in Galatians 5 can also be considered fruit of the spirit of
antichrist:
Galatians 5:19–21 – “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual
immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy,
fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and
things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do
such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”


41
Sexual Immorality (Adultery and Fornication)
Impurity (Uncleanness)
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Sensuality (Lasciviousness)
Idolatry
Sorcery (Witchcraft)
Enmity (Hatred)
Strife (Variance)
Jealousy (Emulations)
Fits of Anger (Wrath)
Rivalries (Strife)
Dissentions (Sedition)
Divisions (Heresy)
Envy
Drunkenness
Orgies (Reveling)
(Murder is also listed in the KJV)
The list of the fruit of the flesh in Galatians parallels Paul’s list of the fruit of
disobedience and darkness in Ephesians 5. They are likely both pieces of
God’s master list of the fruit of the flesh as it is God who inspired the Apostle
Paul to write both lists. In any case, we can be sure that the list in Ephesians
of the fruit of the children of disobedience and darkness is opposed to Christ.
Christ is set forth as a child of obedience for us in Hebrews 5:8,87 and He is
the light according to 2 Corinthians 4:688 and 1 Peter 2:9.89 Thus, the fruit
of the children of disobedience and of darkness can also be considered the fruit
of the spirit of antichrist:
87
Hebrews 5:8: Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
2 Corinthians 4:6: For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our
hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
89 1 Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his
own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light.
88
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Ephesians 5:3–12 – “But sexual immorality and all impurity or
covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among
saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which
are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be
sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is
covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these
things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore
do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but
now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of
light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern
what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of
darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the
things that they do in secret.”



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




Sexual Immorality (Fornication and Whoremongering)
Coveting
Filthiness
Foolish Talk
Crude Joking
Ungratefulness
Idolatry
Disobedience
Another means of identifying the fruit of the spirit of antichrist is to consider
who will be excluded from Christ’s kingdom. Those who are partakers in
Christ’s kingdom are those who have taken upon themselves the image and
likeness of Christ (Rom. 8:29;90 Col. 3:1091). Therefore, those who are
90
Romans 8:29: For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the
image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
43
refused participation in Christ’s kingdom are those who have stood opposed to
Christ’s image and likeness. As such, their qualities can be considered qualities
of the spirit of antichrist:
1 Corinthians 6:9–10 – “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will
not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually
immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice
homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Revelation 21:10 and 22:15 – “And he carried me away in the Spirit
to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming
down out of heaven from God, … Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and
the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves
and practices falsehood.”

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

Unrighteousness
Sexually Immoral (Fornication and Whoremongering)
Idolatry
Adultery
Homosexuality (Effeminate and Sodomy)
Thievery
Greed (Covetousness)
Drunkenness
Reviling (this means abusive)
Swindling (Extortion)
Murder
Sorcery
Lying and Love of Falsehood
91
Colossians 3:10: [A]nd have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after
the image of its creator.
44
Finally, the spirit of antichrist must set itself against the Spirit of Christ.
According to Isaiah 11:2,92 the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of the Lord, who
is also called the Holy Spirit. This is further affirmed in Romans 8:9 93 and 1
Peter 1:11.94 Therefore, the spirit of antichrist must be opposed to the fruit
of the Holy Spirit:
Galatians 5:22–23 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against
such things there is no law.”

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






Hatred [anti-love]
Depression [anti-joy]
Strife [anti-peace]
Impatience [anti-patience]
Unkind [anti-kindness]
Evil [anti-goodness]
Unfaithful [anti-faithful]
Harsh [anti-gentleness] (The KJV uses the term “meek” which
means gentle and humble. This expands our understanding of
this fruit of the spirit of antichrist to include pride.)
Lack of self-control [anti-self-control]
By now our heads should be spinning, but this only proves how much
information the Bible has provided Christians in order that we should be able
92
Isaiah 11:2: And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
93 Romans 8:9: You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God
dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
94 1 Peter 1:10–11: Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace
that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ
in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
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to quickly identify the spirit of antichrist and stand against it. In ending this
brief examination of the spirit of antichrist, let us quickly review our
conclusions:
General definition of the spirit of antichrist:
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That which sets itself in place of or against Jesus Christ
The spirit of antichrist:
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Denies that Christ came in the flesh
o Does not believe that Jesus is whom He claimed to be
o Does not believe that Jesus is the Son of God,
Messiah, God, human, or even reality.
Is a liar and a deceiver
o Uses lies, hypocrisy, trickery, deception, and beguiling
Denies that Jesus is the Messiah
o Denies that Jesus is the only means to our salvation
o Denies that Jesus is God
o Denies that Jesus is an authority in our lives
o Denies the deity of Christ
o Denies that God the Father and Jesus are one God
Denies the validity and authority of Scripture
The spirit of antichrist produces:
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Self Love
Depression
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Love of Money (Coveting)
Arrogance (Boasting)
Pride
Abuse (Blasphemy)
Disobedience to parents
Ungratefulness
Unholiness
Heartlessness (Without Natural Affection)
Unappeasability (Truce-breaking)
Slander (False accusations)
Lack of Self-control (Incontinence)
Brutality (Fierceness)
Hating What Is Good (Despising Those Who are Good)
Treachery
Recklessness (Headiness)
Conceit (High Mindedness)
Foolishness
Love of Pleasure More Than Love of God
A Form of Godliness which Denies Its Power
Ignorance (Foolishness)
Opposition to Truth (Resisting of Truth)
Corruption
Sexual Immorality (Adultery, Fornication, Whoremongering)
Sensuality (Lasciviousness)
Idolatry
Sorcery (Witchcraft)
Enmity (Hatred)
Strife (Variance)
Jealousy (Emulations)
Fits of Anger
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Wrath
Rivalries (Strife)
Dissentions (Sedition)
Divisions (Heresy)
Envy
Murder
Drunkenness
Orgies (Reveling)
Filthiness
Foolish Talk
Crude Joking
Disobedience
Unrighteousness
Adultery
Homosexuality
Thievery
Greed (Covetousness)
Reviling [this means abusive]
Swindling (Extortion)
Impatience
The spirit of antichrist resists:
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Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
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Gentleness / Meekness
Self-control
The spirit of antichrist is:
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Stealthy
Subtle
Enticing
Not confined to an individual
Of a spiritual nature
Unfaithful
Harsh
Evil
The spirit of antichrist especially targets:
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Women
The Weak
The Unfaithful
The Unrighteous
Those Who Are Comfortable
Chapter 3
Opposing the Spirit of Antichrist
When faced with such a vast spiritual threat, it is encouraging to read in
Ephesians 6:10–18 that God has equipped us with every spiritual tool
necessary to stand firm against the spirit of antichrist. Ephesians 6:10–18
says:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the
whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes
of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this
present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able
to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand
therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the
breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on
the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up
the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of
the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all
prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance,
making supplication for all the saints,
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Given that the battle against the spirit of antichrist is ultimately a spiritual
battle, it would behoove us to study the armor of God in great detail. However,
such a study stretches beyond the scope of this book. Instead, we will merely
focus on one aspect of this armor—the Sword of the Spirit—which is
mentioned in verse 17.
Described as a sword, the Bible is presented as our chief weapon. The nature
of a sword tells us that this can be both an offensive and defensive weapon. Of
course, this is not an ordinary sword. We are reminded that the Bible is the
Word of God. According to Hebrews 4:12, this is a double-edged sword of
the finest craftsmanship, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper
than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of
joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Consider the magnitude of the phrase “Word of God.” We possess the very
words which created matter out of nothing (Gen. 1:1–27). These are the
same words that broke the authority of Satan and the Law in our lives (John
19:3095). These are the very words which struck instant fear into the hearts
of a myriad of demons (Luke 8:27–3296). When we say that the Bible is the
Word of God, we should be filled with awestruck humility at the thought that
God has entrusted us with His word.
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John 19:30: When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed
his head and gave up his spirit.
96 Luke 8:27–32: When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city
who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among
the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice,
“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.”
For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized
him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and
be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said,
“Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart
into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let
them enter these. So he gave them permission.
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Sometimes our appreciation for the scale of this weapon is diminished by
imagining it as a sword. The best of swords is no match for today’s modern
arsenal of guns, missiles, and smart bombs. Nevertheless, at the time that the
Apostle Paul was writing, there was a special kind of sword which was the
super-weapon of its day. When Paul says that the Bible is our sword, he used
the term machaira which is the title for this particular super-weapon.
If we were to choose a sword with which to battle, we would likely gravitate
toward the large broad swords such as the Scottish Claymore. The Greeks had
a word for such swords. It is rhomphaia and refers to a sword that is at least a
meter long. However, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle
Paul chose to call the Bible a machaira which refers to a short sword that
might be considered a dagger. Of course, this begs the question, “How was
such a short sword the super-weapon of its day?”
The machaira requires great skill and precision to deliver a fatal blow. Greek
soldiers practiced extensively to master the skill of using the short sword.
However, once mastered, the machaira gave the Greek soldiers a quickness
and agility which could not be countered. Soldiers using the heavy broad sword
simply could not parry fast enough to counter the Greek short sword. This new
sword revolutionized warfare and was largely responsible for the rise of the
Greek empire. It was a highly feared and respected weapon.
The Apostle Paul’s God-inspired decision to refer to the Bible as a machaira is
truly a perfect picture of Scripture. Aside from being a super-weapon, the
Bible is also a tool which requires great skill and precision to use effectively.
Just as the machaira was only deadly in the hand of a master swordsman who
spent considerable time familiarizing himself with his weapon, so also the Bible
is only truly powerful in the hands of a Christian who has spent much time
studying and familiarizing himself with the text.
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Rather than use the Greek word logos, which means “word,” Paul refers to the
Bible as the rhema of God. Rhema means “a specific statement.” When Paul
called the Bible the Word of God, he took care to say that the Bible is “a
specific statement of God.” This furthers Paul’s imagery of the Bible being a
precise weapon which requires great skill in handling. We do not break the
skulls of demons by broadly swinging our Bible. Spiritual warfare is not fought
using broad and general statements. Rather, spiritual warfare is precise.
Specific verses of Scripture are used to encourage, strengthen, and defend us
at very specific times in our lives. God expects us to be so familiar with His
Word that we can call forth the exact statement needed to battle our particular
enemy. Our lives are to be so saturated with the Word of God that we know
exactly where to turn to face any struggle or temptation. This is precisely the
example that Jesus set forth for us when He was tempted by Satan in Luke
4:1–13:
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led
by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil.
And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he
was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command
this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,
‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” And the devil took him up and
showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said
to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has
been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will
worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from
here, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to
guard you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike
your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You
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shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had
ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
Jesus did not battle Satan’s temptation by saying generally, “No, because the
Bible says so.” Instead, Jesus used specific verses of Scripture to refute the
Devil’s temptation. If we will commit to studying and applying Scripture in our
lives, then the Holy Spirit will help bring these specific verses to remembrance
when we need them. John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring
to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Remember that Satan used Scripture when he tempted Jesus. Anyone can
attempt to wield the Word of God. Just quoting Bible verses does not mean
that an individual is equipped with the Sword of the Spirit. Before we attempt
to identify and resist the spirit of antichrist, we must be certain that we are
accurately and honestly wielding the true Sword of the Spirit.
Every Christian is a soldier who is called to actively battle for the cause of
Christ. However, Jesus taught in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot be divided in
our interests, “‘No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.” So long as a person is committed to those
things which stand opposed to Christ, he will never effectively further the cause
of Christ. He is like the man who works to build a wall with his right hand and
tears it down with his left hand.
The Apostle Paul commands us in Ephesians 5:8–11 to fully commit
ourselves to the cause of Christ, “[F]or at one time you were darkness, but now
you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is
found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing
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to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead
expose them.”
The unfortunate reality is that many Christians do fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness. Many Christians suffer from spiritual schizophrenia. On the
one hand, they genuinely desire to honor God with their lives, and on the
other hand, they desperately hold tight to the very things that Christians are
called to fight against. Sometimes this is intentional disobedience to the Word
of God, and other times it is rooted in willful ignorance. Too many Christians
have accepted the motto, “If I don’t know, then it can’t hurt me.”
Christians are no different from any other human beings. They become
emotionally attached to things. Soon their emotions begin to excuse these
pleasures, and they develop an aversion to the truth because they fear that it
might require that they change their lifestyle. Recall from chapter 2 that this
aversion to pure truth is a fruit of the spirit of antichrist. Anyone who is truly
obedient to God will never fear the undistorted truth.
By remaining ignorant, numerous Christians have accepted practices and
lifestyles which are rooted in the spirit of antichrist. Many Christians do not
realize what they are doing. Nevertheless, Christians do not need to understand
that their actions—what they watch, and what they listen to—are, in reality,
furthering the cause of Satan in order for it to be true. Too many Christians
today are blindly supporting the efforts of Satan by clinging to those things
which help to establish the atmosphere of antichrist. Rather than battle against
the spirit of antichrist, Christians have begun to incorporate it into the church!
The church is God’s means of accomplishing His work in the world today. In
Matthew 16:13–19,97 Jesus told the Apostle Peter that He would build His
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Matthew 16:13–19: Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked
his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the
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church upon the solid rock of Himself and Peter’s confession of Jesus as the
Christ, being the Son of the Living God. Embedded in His declaration is the
understanding that Satan will actively resist and battle against the church.
Nevertheless, Jesus promises in verse 19 that the gates of hell will not prevail
against Christ’s church.
Regardless of how vigorously Satan may resist the efforts of Christ working
through His church, Satan will ultimately fail. It may appear for a short while
that Satan is succeeding, but in the end Satan will always fail. For now,
however, Satan uses clever strategies which include fooling the church into
embracing his agenda.
Sad and even treacherous as it may seem, many in the church today have
accepted Satan’s agenda. Satan has enticed Christians into incorporating the
spirit of antichrist into their lives through the allure of false promises,
emotional manipulation, and false security. Christians have become emotionally
attached to lifestyles, forms of entertainment, and teachings which have at their
core the spirit of antichrist.
Those lifestyles, forms of entertainment, and teachings which set themselves in
place of or against Jesus Christ are, in reality, driven by the spirit of antichrist.
We can identify this spirit by observing its fruit. Recall the list in chapter 2. We
can identify these fruits by asking questions such as, “Does this lifestyle, form
of entertainment, or teaching produce coveting, pride, disobedience, idolatry,
witchcraft, strife, heresy, envy, fear, unbelief, etc.? Does this lifestyle, form of
Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do
you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus
answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,
but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed
in heaven.”
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entertainment, or teaching resist love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control?” If the answer is yes to any of these,
then it is a spirit which does not come from Christ. Rather, at its core is the
spirit of antichrist.
We would do well to compare specific areas of our lives against the list in
chapter 2 which identifies the characteristics of the spirit of the antichrist. As
an example, we could consider our wardrobes. We can ask, “Does wearing this
outfit produce pride within ourselves? Is wearing it an act of disobedience to
our parents or to Scripture? Will it produce coveting, filthy thoughts, or
unholiness in others? Will it result in false accusations from others, foolishness,
or strife?” If so, then regardless of how cute, attractive, or socially acceptable
that outfit may be, wearing it would further the cause of the spirit of antichrist.
Likewise, we should question the things that we watch, the music that we listen
to, the magazines and books that we read, the parties that we attend, the
relationships that we are in, the friendships that we have, and more. As
Christians, all that we do must be scrutinized in light of the Word of God to be
sure that we are not deceived by the spirit of antichrist.
If Satan can convince Christians to accept practices and teachings which are
motivated by the spirit of antichrist, then he can neutralize the effectiveness of
those Christians without ever fighting against them directly. Today’s church is
neutralizing itself! Christians today have knocked themselves out of the spiritual
war because they do not wish to fight and stand against the very things that
they enjoy and habitually practice.
It is imperative that Christians realize the spirit of antichrist is not something
which is relegated to the end times. It is not something to be left to those who
enjoy studying prophecy. Rather, according to 1 John 4:3,98 the spirit of
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1 John 4:3: [A]nd every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit
of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
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antichrist has been active and present in the world for thousands of years. In
other words, it is an enemy which we face today. Consequently, it is a subject
every Christian must understand.
Nobody enjoys giving up something which is dear to him. Likewise, nobody
wants to believe that he has unwittingly furthered the cause of Satan. However,
if we allow these sentiments to keep us from honestly evaluating our lives and
actions, then we remain willfully ignorant. There are few places more spiritually
dangerous than willful ignorance. It is not only dangerous to one’s self, it is
also dangerous to the believers and unbelievers who surround them.
The spirit of antichrist is a very real threat to every Christian today. Thank
God that He has given us an extensive means of identifying this spirit as well
as the spiritual weapons to resist it. The question is, “Are we willing to stand in
the light of pure truth? Are we willing to honestly compare our lifestyles,
motives, thinking, forms of entertainment, and teachings against the list in
chapter 2 which identifies the fruit of the spirit of antichrist? Are we willing to
do whatever it takes to be a faithful and effective soldier for Jesus Christ? Are
we willing to stand on the Word of God and keep ourselves from being
deceived and influenced by the spirit of antichrist?”
These are easier said than done. This spirit of antichrist is actively establishing
strongholds in every realm from politics, to popular media, and from to science
and technology to the Christian church. A comprehensive attempt to trace this
spirit through current events would require volumes. Instead, the following
chapters will focus on six key topics into which the majority of social issues
can be fit. Despite the diversity of these topics, we will discover that there is a
consistent thread which binds them all together, and that common thread is
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Chapter 4
Christian Mysticism – Part 1
The many nuances within mysticism make it extremely difficult to define while
also accurately capturing its scope and significance. Nevertheless, Pastor John
MacArthur99 provides a particularly cogent definition in his book Reckless
Faith: When the Church Loses Its Will to Discern, “Mysticism is the idea that
spiritual reality is found by looking inward. … The mystic disdains rational
understanding and seeks truth instead through the feelings, the imagination,
personal visions, inner voices, private illumination, or other purely subjective
means. Objective truth becomes practically superfluous.”100
“Mysticism,” as defined by Merriam-Webster.com, is “The belief that direct
knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through
subjective experience (as intuition or insight).”101 In other words, mysticism
utilizes practices which bypass Scripture in an effort to establish a more direct
99
John MacArthur is pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California and was
named by Christianity Today as one of the most influential preachers in America. In addition to his
internationally syndicated radio program Grace to You, he is a prolific author and is responsible for the
MacArthur Study Bible.
(“The Top 25 Most Influential Preachers.” Christianity Today, 2006, Source: Wikipedia, “John.”)
100 MacArthur, Reckless Faith, 27.
101 “Mysticism,” Merriam-Webster.com.
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CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM – PART 1
channel of communication with God. These are methods whose manner and
practice are not taught or endorsed in the Bible, and which result in knowledge
and understanding that is considered divine, and therefore, infallible and equal
or superior to that of Scripture. Because these methods circumvent the guiding
principles of Scripture, the truth of these revelations is subjective. No longer is
there a universal standard against which truth can be measured. Mysticism
replaces the absolute truth of the Bible with personal experience and intuition.
Any revelation from God whose validity can’t be confirmed according to the
declarations and principles taught in Scripture is, by definition, mystical. It is
outside the purview of Scripture. Yet, 2 Timothy 3:16–17 teaches that
Scripture is sufficient to teach us everything that we need to know in order to
have a right relationship with God and to honor Him, “All Scripture is
breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work.” This passage does not teach that the Bible
provides most of what is needed to be a complete and fully equipped Christian.
Instead, it teaches that absolutely every spiritual technique, doctrine, and
principle necessary to be complete in God’s eyes has already been supplied to
the Christian via the Bible. Consequently, when the Holy Spirit enlightens the
mind of a Christian and teaches him to better align his practice with his
position in Christ, it will always be rooted in the truths already provided us in
Scripture.
The Bible is God’s means of communicating essential truth to us today, and it
is sufficient. It is declared by Jesus Christ to be truth in John 17:17.102 As
such, it serves as our ultimate rule of faith and practice for every believer.
Everything that we need to know in order to have a right relationship with
God and to please Him has already been revealed in Scripture. Every sermon,
every spiritual help book, every church program, etc. is only helpful to the
102
John 17:17: Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
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Christian if it teaches him to better understand the commandments and
principles already recorded in the Bible. All else is a waste of time and a
distraction from God’s will for the Christian. There is no such thing as a “new”
or “secret” method for having a closer and deeper relationship with God. God
is not revealing new truths today to make His people more spiritual. If the
Christians during the Apostle Paul’s time could be complete and fully equipped
based solely upon the truths found in the Bible, then the same must be true for
Christians today who possess the very same Bible.
Scripture teaches that we should turn to it if we want to know what God has
to say, and yet mysticism teaches that we can bypass and contradict the
guidelines of Scripture in order to receive direct knowledge and insight from
God. These two teachings are not compatible with one another. Clearly we
have a problem. Realizing that Biblical Christianity and mysticism are not
compatible with one another, we are compelled to conclude that there can be
no such thing as “Christian” mysticism. Anything that contradicts or amends
the standard of God’s Word is not truly Christian. Rather, it belongs to the
spirit of anti-Christ. Please keep this in mind each time that the title “Christian
mysticism” is used in this book. This title is misleading. Nevertheless, there are
those today who attempt to use mystical techniques which are outside the
limits of those found in Scripture in order to enhance their spiritual relationship
with God, and they have chosen to call these practices “Christian” mysticism.
Once more, mysticism seeks direct knowledge of God and spiritual truth
through subjective experience. In our society, there has been a general shift
toward mysticism. An evidence of this shift is the substantial rise in paganism.
Paganism, as a religion, is deeply rooted in mysticism and serves as one of the
most blatant examples of mystical practices. According to a 2001 American
Religious Identification Survey, “From 1990 to 2001: Numbers of adherents
[to paganism] went from 8,000 to 134,000. Their numbers of adherents
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doubled about every 30 months.”103 Note that these are individuals who have
taken the title “pagan” as their religious affiliation.104 This is not the result of
Christians labeling dissenters as “pagan.” A subsequent survey observes,
“Specifically, the number of Wiccans more than doubled from 2001 to
2008, from 134,000 to 342,000, and the same held true for neopagans, who went from 140,000 in 2001 to 340,000 in 2008.” 105
Similarly, a 2008 Denver Post article reports, “Their numbers roughly double
about every 18 months in the United States, Canada and Europe, according
to the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.”106
According to ReligionLink, “Experts say the growth reflects not only increasing
numbers of neo-pagans, but also a rise in the social acceptability of paganism.
As a result, more respondents would be willing to identify themselves as
followers of some pagan tradition.”107 Some of this can be attributed to the
media’s excessive interest in the Occult. Some of this is the consequence of
rejecting organized religion and of rejecting absolute truth. In any case, there is
a decided increase in the number of individuals within America who identify
themselves as pagan. Whatever the many reasons for the growth of paganism,
the fact remains that it is a clear indication that the spirit of antichrist is
extremely active in society today.
Given that, today, society is more likely to influence the church than the
church is likely to influence society, it is not surprising to find some of these
same proclivities within the church—particularly the attraction to mysticism.
For years mysticism has steadily infiltrated the Christian church. Church
members and pastors alike have developed a fascination with the mystical.
103
Robinson, “Religious identification.”
Many individuals who could rightly be classified as pagan do not classify themselves as
pagan, choosing instead to refer to themselves by other titles, such as animists.
105 Ibid.
106 Draper, “Neopaganism growing quickly.”
107 Robinson, “Religious identification.”
104
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Ursula King is an internationally known scholar on spirituality and interfaith
dialogue. In her book Christian Mystics, she observes, “It is probably true to
say that recent years have seen a greater interest and fascination with the
mystics of all ages and faiths than any previous period in history.”108 Similarly,
Leonard Sweet, who is a leading figure in the Emergent Church movement,
writes in his book Quantum Spirituality, “Mysticism, once cast to the sidelines
of the Christian tradition, is now situated in postmodernist culture near the
center. ... In the words of one of the greatest theologians of the twentieth
century, Jesuit philosopher of religion/dogmatist Karl Rahner, ‘The Christian
of tomorrow will be a mystic, one who has experienced something, or he will
be nothing.’”109
“The Christian of tomorrow will be a mystic …” In many ways, this prediction
has already been fulfilled. Mystical practices have been so widely embraced by
the church that it can be argued that the Christian of today is a mystic. In his
book Living in the Presence, Tilden Edwards, an Episcopal priest, writes:
In the wider ecumenism of the Spirit being opened for us today, we need
to humbly accept the learnings of particular Eastern religions in relation
to the body now available to us. What makes a particular practice
Christian is not its source, but its intent. If our intent in assuming a
particular bodily practice is to deepen our awareness in Christ, then it is
Christian. … This is important to remember in the face of those Christians
who would try to impoverish our spiritual resources by too narrowly
defining them. If we view the human family as one in God’s Spirit, then
this historical cross-fertilization is not surprising … In terms of the body,
selective attention to Eastern spiritual practices can be of great assistance
to a fully embodied Christian life.110
108
King, Christian Mystics, 11.
Leonard Sweet, Quantum Spirituality (Dayton: Whaleprints, 1991), 76, Source: Yungen,
A Time of Departing, 160.
110 Edwards, Living in the Presence, 18–19.
109
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Here we have an Episcopal priest teaching that what makes something
Christian is not its source but its intent. However, Matthew 7:21–23
contradicts this statement, “‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will
enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who
is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many
mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew
you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Serving God in any manner one desires so long as it is intended to glorify Him
is not acceptable. Jesus teaches in Matthew 7 that some people will serve God
only to discover that their intentions were not sufficient to be granted entrance
into the Kingdom of God. Likewise, Luke 13:24–27 says:
“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek
to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has
risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at
the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not
know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and
drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I
tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you
workers of evil!’”
In John 14:6,111 we learn that Jesus is the narrow gate. It is not enough that
these individuals sought after God. Jesus said that they must do so according to
God’s way. Intent does not make anything Christian. Our intent and actions
can only be deemed Christian if they are in obedience to, and in alignment
with, the Word of God.
111
John 14:26: But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he
will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
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These are influential religious leaders who are teaching that the church should
embrace mysticism. In fact, they maintain that the church is moving toward
mysticism, and that this is a good thing. Keep in mind that when these
religious leaders speak of mysticism, they are referring to Eastern spirituality,
just as Tilden Edwards explained. Of course, “Eastern spirituality” is merely a
polite title for “paganism.”
There are some key characteristics of “Christian” mysticism with which we
should familiarize ourselves. First, “Christian” mysticism emphasizes a direct
personal experience with God. At its core, it maintains that receiving God’s
message through preaching or the Bible is not adequate. In order to fully
experience God, personal revelation must be sought through direct
communication with God.
Secondly, “Christian” mysticism emphasizes finding spiritual insight beyond
thought and doctrine. “Christian” mysticism allows for spiritual insights which
are not based upon good Biblical teaching. In fact, some of these insights may
not be found anywhere in Scripture. Sometimes they may even contradict
Scripture. The Bible simply does not teach some of the things which are
learned through mystical practices. Nevertheless, practitioners of these methods
believe that these insights necessarily originate in God. As such, these insights
are believed to be equal or superior to Bible doctrine.
In order to glean these insights, one must first bypass the rational mind. Often
this is accomplished by focusing the mind on something repetitive in an effort
to numb the mind. Critical reasoning is rejected because it is considered carnal
and is not rooted in the spiritual. Thus, in order to achieve the ultimate goal,
one must first stop thinking, stop analyzing, and stop discerning all thoughts
when approaching God. Spencer Burke, former pastor of Mariner’s Church
and founder of the Emergent Church publication, The OOze says, “A move
away from intellectual Christianity is essential. We must move to the
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mystical.”112 In other words, when we can successfully stop thinking, then we
can experience God. And when we experience God, then He reveals new
truths to us. Some of these truths may be so new and relevant that they
cannot even be found in Scripture. Thus, our understanding of who God is and
what He desires exceeds the Bible and what we think we know. As Leonard
Sweet has said, “Mysticism, begins in experience; it ends in theology.”113
Thirdly, “Christian” mysticism accepts extra-biblical dreams, visions, and
insights as being revelations from God. The thinking is that these practices lead
an individual into an extra-spiritual state of mind where he sets aside the
“voices of darkness” in order to listen to the “voices of light.”114 Because he is
in a higher state of spirituality and union with God, it is believed that only God
can successfully communicate with him. Therefore, any messages and insights
that are received in this super-spiritual state of mind must be from God. In
112
Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger, Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in
Postmodern Cultures (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005), 230, Source: Diekmann, “The
Emerging Church.”
113 Leonard Sweet, Quantum Spirituality (Dayton:Whaleprints, 1991), 76, Source: Yungen, A
Time of Departing, 160.
114 “At first silence might only frighten us. In silence we start hearing the voices of darkness:
our jealousy and anger, our resentment and desire for revenge, our lust and greed, and our pain over
losses, abuses, and rejections. These voices are often noisy and boisterous. They may even deafen us.
Our most spontaneous reaction is to run away from them and return to our entertainment.
But if we have the discipline to stay put and not let these dark voices intimidate us, they will gradually
lose their strength and recede into the background, creating space for the softer, gentler voices of the
light.
These voices speak of peace, kindness, gentleness, goodness, joy, hope, forgiveness, and, most of all,
love. They might at first seem small and insignificant, and we may have a hard time trusting them.
However, they are very persistent and they will grow stronger if we keep listening. They come from a
very deep place and from very far. They have been speaking to us since before we were born, and
they reveal to us that there is no darkness in the One who sent us into the world, only light.
They are part of God’s voice calling us from all eternity: ‘My beloved child, my favorite one, my joy.’”
(Nouwen, Can You Drink The Cup?, 95.)
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other words, the self is suppressed, so the messages received cannot be from
one’s own mind and desires. Neither can the messages be from evil spirits
because the individual’s spirit is in such a state of longing for God and union
with Him that no evil spirit would dare to interfere.
To be fair, there are some who do teach that other spiritual forces can
communicate their own messages, but they then proceed to teach that certain
prayers of protection can ward off these spirits.115 Supposedly, by praying
these special prayers, an individual can virtually guarantee that only God will be
able to successfully communicate with him. Thus, the outcome is the same:
Any messages and insights that an individual receives while in this enlightened
transcendental-like state of mind are necessarily from God.
The inevitable conclusion of this conviction is that the messages and insights
that an individual receives through mystical encounters with God necessarily
trump Scripture. After all, these revelations come from God, they are current,
and they are personalized; whereas, the Bible was written thousands of years
ago to a general audience. According to this mindset, the Bible serves as a
worthy framework for following God, but these personalized revelations fill in
the gaps where the Bible is not specific enough or is perceived as not being
culturally relevant. If there is ever a contradiction, the more recent and
115
“I also want to give a word of precaution. In the silent contemplation of God we are
entering deeply into the spiritual realm, and there is such a thing as supernatural guidance that is not
divine guidance. While the Bible does not give us a lot of information on the nature of the spiritual
world, we do know enough to recognize that there are various orders of spiritual beings, and some of
them are definitely not in cooperation with God and his way! ... But for now I want to encourage you
to learn and practice prayers of protection. Here is the prayer that Luther used: “Shield us, Lord, with
thy right arm. Save us from sin’s dreadful harm.” My own approach is to preface a time of
contemplation by speaking this simple prayer: “By the authority of almighty God I surround myself
with the light of Christ, I cover myself with the blood of Christ, and I seal myself with the cross of
Christ. All dark and evil spirits must now leave. No influence is allowed to come near to me but that it
is first filtered through the light of Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.”
(Foster, Prayer, 157.)
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personalized revelation is followed rather than the teaching of the Bible.
Therefore, these extra-biblical revelations are given greater weight and
authority than the Bible. This is precisely the teaching of Thomas Merton who
teaches that through the mystical practice of contemplative prayer, God “…
offers you an understanding and light, which are like nothing you ever found in
books or heard in sermons.”116 We will examine the influence of Thomas
Merton in greater detail later, but according to him, this unique understanding
from God can only be acquired through contemplative mysticism.
When discussing “Christian” mysticism, attention must be given to Charismatic
mysticism. The three characteristics of “Christian” mysticism which we just
considered are inherent to the core doctrines of the Pentecostal, Charismatic,
and Third Wave movements. These are three distinct movements, as defined
by Charles Peter Wagner, 117 which share a common foundation. Within
Pentecostalism, there is a wide spectrum of beliefs and practices. For this
reason, it is very difficult to speak of Pentecostalism in general terms.
Nevertheless, the Charismatic and Third Wave movements have consistently
proven themselves to strongly adhere to each of the three key characteristics
of “Christian” mysticism. Once again, these characteristics are:
1) “Christian” mysticism emphasizes a direct personal experience with
God.
116
Thomas Merton, The Hidden Ground Of Love: The Letters Of Thomas Merton On
Religious Experience And Social Concerns, Source: Goodreads, “Hidden Ground of Love Quotes.”
117 “There is no question that a new and exciting era has come upon Christianity in the
twentieth century. It started with the Pentecostal movement at the beginning of the century, a
movement which continues to multiply under God’s blessing. It was joined by the Charismatic
movement soon after mid-century. And now in these latter decades the Spirit is moving in what some
of us like to call the third wave where we are seeing the miraculous works of God operating as they
have been in the other movements in churches which have not been nor intend to be either
Pentecostal or charismatic.”
(Charles Peter Wagner, The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit: Encountering the Power of Signs and
Wonders Today (Vida Publishers, 1986), Source: Apologetics Index, “Third Wave.”)
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2) “Christian” mysticism emphasizes finding spiritual insight beyond
thought and doctrine.
3) “Christian” mysticism accepts extra-biblical dreams, visions, and
insights as revelations from God.
The foundation of the Charismatic, and Third Wave movements is firmly
rooted in these three characteristics of “Christian” mysticism. At its core, these
movements are mystical. Their heritage, and their foundational doctrines and
practices are rooted in mysticism. These are expound upon further in
Appendices B.1 and B.7, but at this point, we will simply review several
quotations from influential leaders within these movements. Certainly, there are
exceptional churches within the Charismatic and Third Wave movements.
Nevertheless, in looking at them as a general whole, these quotes should be
sufficient to reveal that several key aspects of their doctrine are firmly rooted in
mysticism.
To begin with, Charismatic and Third Wave doctrine de-emphasizes preaching
and the Bible. Steve Hill, co-founder and senior pastor of Heartland World
Ministries Church who is best known for preaching the Brownsville Revival in
Pensacola, Florida from 1995 to 2000, has said, “In these latter days
preaching and simply teaching the word is no longer sufficient, the Spirit has
to get involved, through signs and wonders due to much sin that abounds.” 118
According to Steve Hill, preaching and teaching the Word of God is no longer
sufficient. The Charismatic and Third Wave movements de-emphasize
preaching and the Bible. In fact, during a “Praise the Lord” show on the
Trinity Broadcast Network, Frederick Price119 declared, “Man has made God
violate His own word. Have a ‘Rolls Royce’ Faith.”120 Likewise, John
118
Robert Gray, “What We Saw,” Dec. 14, 1996, Source: “Steve Hill.”
Frederick Price is the founder and senior pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center in Inglewood,
California. He also founded Fellowship International Christian Word of Faith Ministries.
120 Frederick Price, “Praise the Lord,” Trinity Broadcasting Network, Sept. 21, 1990, Source:
“Frederick K C Price.”
119
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Kilpatrick, who is best known for his pastoral oversight of the Brownsville
Revival, said, “Let me tell you something else about this revival. This move of
God is not about preaching. … We’ve heard so many sermons and so much of
the Word of God that we’ve grown fat, but there’s been no power and no
anointing and no miracles. So, I just want to tell you, that’s why tonight I don’t
feel bad about not coming up here and preaching a great sermon.”121 Rather
than preaching and the Bible, the Charismatic and Third Wave movements
emphasize a direct, personal, and subjective experience with God. Often, this is
accomplished through dreams, visions, prophetic tongues, etc.
Furthermore, these movements fear sound doctrine and criticism. An example
of this fear can be found in a Trinity Broadcasting “Spring Praise-a-thon,”
during which Paul Crouch122 said:
I think God’s given up on a lot of that old rotten Sanhedrin religious
crowd, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. I think they’re damned and
on their way to hell and I don’t think there’s any redemption for them. I
say to hell with you! ... the heresy hunters that want to find a little mote
of illegal doctrine in some Christian’s eye and pluck that little mote out of
their eye when they’ve got the whole forest in their own lives and in their
own eyes. I say to hell with you! Oh hallelujah. Get out of God’s way,
quit blocking God’s bridges or God's gonna shoot you if I don’t! I refuse
to argue any longer with any of you out there. Don’t even call me. If you
want to argue doctrine, if you want to straighten out somebody over here,
if you want to criticize Ken Copeland for his preaching on faith, or Dad
121
Costella, “The Brownsville/Pensacola Outpouring.”
Paul and Janice Crouch together with Jim and Tammy Bakker co-founded Trinity
Broadcasting Systems in 1973. The Bakkers left in 1975 to begin The Praise The Lord Club.
Eventually, Trinity Broadcasting Systems was renamed and became the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
122
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Hagin. Get out of my life! I don’t even want to talk to you or hear you. I
don’t want to see your ugly face! Get out of my face in Jesus’ name.123
The revelations and insights which are received while under the anointing of
the Holy Spirit are considered by the Charismatic movement to be superior to
sound doctrine. However, they are subjective experiences which cannot be well
defended. As such, there is a fear of sound doctrine and criticism which can
expose many of these revelations for what they truly are. Steve Hill once
warned, “Don’t analyze this ‘move of God,’ and you had better receive it if you
don’t want a stamp of disapproval from Jesus.”124 Likewise, Kenneth
Copeland125 has said, “I don’t preach doctrine, I preach faith.”126
Additionally, the Charismatic and Third Wave movements emphasize direct
personal experiences with God which are recognized through feelings, insight,
and revelations and which occur when the brain is disengaged. In his book The
Force of Faith, Kenneth Copeland writes, “Believers are not to be led by logic.
We are not even to be led by good sense.”127 Similarly, John Kilpatrick
declared, “Let (yourselves) go ... do not think about what you are doing ... just
give yourselves completely to the Spirit.”128 Also Rodney Howard Browne,
founder and pastor of The River in Tampa, Florida, head of Revival Ministries
International, and best known for his role in the Holy Laughter Revival, has
said, “You really cannot understand what God is doing in these meetings with
123
Paul Crouch, “Praise-a-thon,” Trinity Broadcasting Network, April 2, 1991, Source:
Deception, “Links to Audio Files.”
124 “Neal and Darlenn H visit to Brownsville AOG.,” Feb. 19, 1997, Source: “Steve Hill.”
125 Kenneth Copeland is the founder of Eagle Mountain International Church which is also
known as Kenneth Copeland Ministries. He served as a member of the Oral Roberts University Board
of Regents until 2008. He also hosts the daily television program Believer’s Voice of Victory.
126 Kenneth Copeland, “Copeland, _Following the Faith of Abraham I, side 2,” Source:
Hanegraaff, “What’s Wrong with the Faith Movement?” 16.
127 Kenneth Copeland, The Force of Faith, 7, Source: Deception, “‘By Your Words’.”
128 Jimmy Robbins, “Revival … Or Satanic Counterfeit?” 1996, Source: Interactive Bible,
“Pentecostalism.”
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an analytical mind. It’s not a move of man, it’s a move of God. The mind is
never going to understand what God’s doing. ... The only way you’re going to
understand what God’s doing is with your heart.”129
Hopefully, as we look at these statements, verses are coming to our minds,
such as Isaiah 1:18130 where God says, “Come now, and let us reason
together ...” Also, verses such as 2 Timothy 1:7,131 1 Peter 1:13,132 and
Galatians 5:16, and 22–23133 which teach that we are not to surrender our
minds but are instead called to maintain a spirit of self-control. Despite the
fact that self-control is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, these religious
leaders repeatedly encourage believers to stop analyzing doctrines, statements,
and events according to Scripture. They teach that believers should disengage
their brains so that they can better receive God’s special revelation to them.
For example, Paul Cain134 preached, “… I know some of you are going to
disagree with this. Don’t you even stop to disagree. Revelation 12:5. If you
disagree, just file it in ‘miscellaneous’ and check it out. And don’t bother with
it; when we get to heaven we’ll check it out and you’ll find out I’m right …” 135
129
Julia Duin, “An Evening with Rodney Howard-Browne,” Christian Research Journal 17,
no. 3 (Winter 1995): 43, Source: Duin, “An Evening with Rodney Howard-Browne.”
130 Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”
131 2 Timothy 1:7: [F]or God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and selfcontrol.
132 1 Peter 1:13: Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set
your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
133 Galatians 5:16, 22–23: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires
of the flesh. … But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
134 Beginning his ministry at the age of eighteen, Paul Cain was the youngest minister in the
movement known as the Voice of Healing Revival of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He is best
known for his involvement with the Kansas City Prophets and later with John Wimber and the
Vineyard Movement.
135 Paul Cain, Prophetic Power and Passion Conference at Christ Chapel in Florence, Alabama,
August 1995, Source: “Paul Cain.”
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Similarly, Jack Deere136 said, “But you know what? God is in the process of
offending our minds in order to reveal our hearts. And I don’t know any place
where it’s going to be 100% right. There’s going to be stumbling blocks in
every ministry that the Holy Spirit is really responsible for.”137
Aside from the fact that this is absolute heresy, notice Jack Deere’s statement
that God’s truth offends our minds. In other words, Jack Deere is teaching that
we have to stop critically evaluating things before God can truly communicate
with us. This belief is shared by many of the most influential leaders within the
Charismatic and Third Wave movements. Rodney Howard Browne even went
so far as to declare:
You can’t have revival without stirring up the flesh. ... When revival
comes you will see manifestations of these three things in meetings: (1)
the Holy Spirit; (2) the flesh, and (3) the devil. But, I’d rather be in a
church where the devil and the flesh are manifesting than in a church
where nothing is happening because people are too afraid to manifest
anything ... Don’t worry about it. And if a devil manifests, don’t worry
about that, either. Rejoice, because at least something is happening!138
Additionally, personal experiences are placed above the authority of Scripture.
William Branham, an evangelist who is credited as having founded the postWorld War II healing movement, once said, “Now, I’m just your brother, by the
grace of God. But when the Angel of the Lord moves down, it becomes then a
136
Jack Deere was an associate professor of Old Testament at Dallas Seminary until he
reversed his position on cessationism. Believing that he had experienced sign gifts of the Holy Spirit
through the ministry of John Wimber, he joined the staff of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Church
in Anaheim, California. He eventually began his own ministry and founded Wellspring Church in North
Richland Hills, Texas.
137 Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship Audiotape, November 20, 1994, Source: “Jack
Deere.”
138 Rodney Howard-Browne, quoted in Weighed and Found Wanting: Putting the Toronto
Blessing in Context, 162, Source: Burns, “Unholy Laughter.”
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Voice of God to you ... But I am God’s Voice to you ... Now, see, I can say
nothing in myself. But what He shows me.”139 William Branham mimicked
Christ in John 14:10140 and claimed to be a transmitter of divine revelation
for the modern church. Similarly, Bill Hamon, who is best known for his
involvement among the Kansas City Prophets, said, “Paul said no other
foundation can any man lay. We are going to see great apostolic and
prophetic insight that is going to really change a lot about the Church. We
keep saying we won’t recognize the 21st century church. That means a lot of
change is going to take place quickly. It won’t destroy the foundations, but it
will put us in a proper design and proper pattern.”141
Essentially, Bill Hamon is teaching that the Apostles did not lay the correct
foundation for the church. We have to correct the foundation that the Apostles
laid. The only way to accomplish this is to go beyond Scripture in our pursuit
of truth. This is echoed in Paul Cain’s statement, “God’s raising up a new
standard, a new banner, if you will, that’s going to radically change the
expression, the understanding of Christianity in our generation ... God has
invited us to have a role in establishing a new order of Christianity ... God is
offering to this generation something He has never offered to any other
generation ... beware lest old order brethren rob you and steal this hope from
you.”142
If we understand the history of the Charismatic and Third Wave movements,
then it should not surprise us to learn that many of its foundational elements
139
William Branham, “Footprints On The Sands Of Time,” 214, Source: “William Branham.”
John 14:10 (KJV): Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the
words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the
works.
141 Bill Hamon, http://imagint.com/bereans/prophesies/cinc-1999.htm, Source: Eldridge,
“Bill Hamon.”
142 Paul Cain, “You Can Become the Word!” 1989, Vineyard Prophetic Conference, with
comment from Sandy Simpson, 1997, Source: “Paul Cain.”
140
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are rooted in mysticism. These movements have always emphasized the
mystical. If we trace their history back far enough, we learn that they are
rooted, in part, in the Eastern Orthodox doctrine of Theosis. This is the
teaching that man can be progressively sanctified even unto the point of
becoming perfected deity—only without God’s divine essence, or
uncausedness.143 We also discover that they are rooted in Montanism. Several
key elements of Charismatic and Third Wave doctrine were first practiced and
preached by Montanus. In many ways, Montanus can be considered the true
founding father of these movements.
We do not have space to fully examine Montanus at this time, but he was
rejected by the early church, and the Council at Constantinople decreed that
Montanism was tantamount to paganism.144 Nevertheless, Charles Wesley
described Montanists as “real Scriptural Christians” and Montanus as “one of
the best men then upon the earth.”145 This is important because John and
Charles Wesley laid the foundation that would eventually morph into
Pentecostalism, and ultimately into the Charismatic and the Third Wave
movements. (For a fuller consideration of Montanus, see Appendix B.1.)
A careful examination of the Charismatic and Third Wave movements reveals
that their core doctrines cannot be divorced from mysticism. Theirs is a
theology which was born out of the greatest of intentions but which has
succumbed to the faulty promises of “Christian” mysticism. However, this book
hopes to focus upon another facet of “Christian” mysticism which is more
likely to lure today’s Evangelical, Baptist, and Reformed churches.
It appears as though many Christian denominations have long recognized the
mystical and unscriptural practices of the Charismatic and Third Wave
143
Wikipedia, “Theosis.”
MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos, 88.
145 Charles Wesley, Journal, III, 496 and The Works of Wesley VI, (New York, 1856) 556,
Source: Interactive Bible, “We have the Holy Spirit.”
144
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movements and have sought to clearly separate themselves from these
teachings. For some of these churches, this effort developed into a type of
paranoia. Fearing accusations that they may be affirming Charismatic or Third
Wave doctrine, they determined to separate themselves from anything which
might possibly be misconstrued to accuse them of favoring these doctrines.
Unfortunately, this led many into an excessive de-emphasizing of the Holy
Spirit and into a nearly total rejection and denial of everything supernatural.
However, the Holy Spirit cannot be ignored. It is important to remember that
the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is active
in our salvation (Tit. 3:5146). He is given to us as a deposit guaranteeing our
inheritance (Eph. 1:13–14147), and He enlightens our minds to understand
the things of God and His Word (1 Cor. 2:12148). The Holy Spirit also
empowers Christians with spiritual gifts to edify and build up the church (1
Cor. 12:4–11;149 Rom. 12:4–6;150 Eph. 4:11–12151). To ignore the
146
Titus 3:5: [H]e saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according
to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
147
Ephesians 1:13–14: In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of
our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
148 1 Corinthians 2:12: Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is
from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
149 1 Corinthians 12:4–11: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there
are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God
who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common
good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of
knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing
by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to
distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of
tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually
as he wills.
150 Romans 12:4–6: For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all
have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of
another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in
proportion to our faith;
151 Ephesians 4:11–12: And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the
shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
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Holy Spirit is to ignore a significant aspect of the Christian’s relationship with
God and others, and this often leads to a form of legalism.
Some have recognized the error of de-emphasizing the Holy Spirit and have
begun a journey to discover the truth. They are asking the question, “How do
we incorporate the Holy Spirit into our lives and churches without falling into
the extreme practices of the Charismatic and Third Wave movements?” If we
are honest, this is not an easy question to answer. This is borne out in the
testimony of those who have begun this journey. Many times they experience a
pendulum effect as they seek to match their doctrine with their practice. Too
often, in seeking to correct one error of extremes, the Christian swings to a
new error of extremes on the other side of the spectrum. Then, when this new
position is recognized as an error of extremes, the Christian reacts by once
again swinging back the other direction. There may be quite a process of
fluctuating back and forth between the two extreme positions before the
Christian finds the proper balance.
We ought to be sensitive to this very natural spiritual journey. Sometimes
Christians are quick to completely separate from anyone who shows any
affinity toward what we are confident is error. However, the Bible only calls
Christians to separate over major doctrinal errors. Even then, the Christian is
told to do so in a spirit of love. He is not to rant and rave against the other
individual. It is important to remember that the enemy is not Christian
believers, but the error that they espouse and the spirit of antichrist that has
deceived them into accepting it.
The struggle to find balance is exponentially more difficult for ministries and
religious leaders. Changes in their doctrine or application directly impact more
than themselves. Also, everything they do and say is carefully monitored by
others. We should be discerning Christians when it comes to evaluating the
spiritual journey of ministries and religious leaders. We should be gracious and
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understanding toward their efforts to find the balance between the truths of
God’s Word and the practical application of those truths. This is not to say
that we should condone their mistakes or necessarily participate with them in
this journey. However, we should be very careful about condemning their work
and standing opposed to them. Keep in mind that it is the Devil who is the
accuser of the brethren according to Revelation 12:9–10.152 Too many
Christians find themselves unwittingly aiding the Devil in his efforts by unkindly
attacking those Christians whose beliefs are not their own.
Many within the Evangelical, Baptist, and Reformed camps have sought ways
to include the Holy Spirit in their spiritual lives without falling into the
extremes of the Charismatic movement. This pursuit has led many to the
monastic mystical traditions. These are mystical practices which find their
origins in the seclusion of Roman Catholic monasteries. Often, Christians are
drawn to these monastic traditions because these mystical monks are perceived
as being very spiritually disciplined. This is in contrast to the Charismatic who
is perceived to be governed by a lack of self-control. In any event, there is a
modern revival of monastic mysticism.
Today, the essential elements of monastic mysticism bear the title
“contemplative spirituality.” Other titles which are used within this movement
as synonyms for “contemplative spirituality” are “spiritual disciplines,” “the
contemplatives,” and “spiritual formation.” All of these are modern synonyms
for “monastic mysticism.” Be very careful as numerous modern-day authors
and preachers will refer to “the spiritual disciplines” without clearly identifying
these disciplines as belonging to the monastic mystical traditions. These are
spiritual disciplines which were formed within Roman Catholic monasteries.
152
Revelation 12:9–10: And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is
called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his
angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation
and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser
of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.”
78
They are not the same spiritual disciplines which were taught by the Apostles.
An illustration of the intentional misrepresentation of these terms can be found
in a CD set by Mike Bickle153 titled, “Contemplative Prayer: The Journey into
Fullness.” This CD set is promoted on The International House of Prayer’s
(IHOP) website. This organization actually belongs to the Third Wave
movement; nevertheless, this is a great example of why religious teachers
today choose to use vague terminology instead of clearly identifying their
teaching as belonging to the monastic mystical traditions. In it, Mike Bickle
makes the following statements:
[M]ystics is a legitimate term… I don’t want to fight the war …so I’m just
saying contemplative prayer, but I mean the mystics—even here at IHOP
I say, let’s just stay with contemplatives …I don’t have time to argue… so I
call them the contemplatives…. I don’t want to go into the semantics, the
debates…so, I’m calling it the contemplatives… I don’t have time to
argue… but I need the mystics. … a study of the lives of the mystics, the
contemplatives, through history, and clearly the most inspiring, compelling
examples of history, in my world, have come out of the Catholic dark
ages. I can’t find anything like it in modern times, in America, in the
Protestant world.154
Monastic mysticism is simply being renamed. People know what Roman
Catholic monastic tradition entails, but they don’t know what “contemplatives”
means. Too many people realize that the majority of the monastic traditions
were not based upon an accurate understanding of the Bible. In fact, there was
a reformation movement which separated many Christians from these errors.
153
Mike Bickle founded the Kansas City Fellowship which is now known as the Metro City
Fellowship. While pastoring this church, he led a group of men which many today refer to as “the
Kansas City Prophets.” Additionally, Mike Bickle founded the International House of Prayer (IHOP), an
organization which spawned the International House of Prayer University. Mike Bickle is also well
known for organizing the annual OneThing youth conference.
154 Mike Bickle, “Contemplative Prayer pt1,” Source: “Dangerous doctrinal trends,” 13.
79
Because of this, many Evangelical, Baptist and Reformed churches would not
allow Roman Catholic tradition to be taught within their churches. They would
be opposed to a book titled Catholic Monastic Mystical Prayer Methods, but it
seems that they would welcome the same book if it were titled Contemplative
Prayer. The reason is that most Christians do not associate “contemplative
prayer” with monastic mysticism. However, Mike Bickle reveals that they are
one and the same. “The contemplatives,” “contemplative spirituality,” the
“spiritual disciplines,” and “spiritual formation” are all simply a modern way of
saying “monastic mysticism” without invoking the controversy that would
usually arise from teaching monastic mysticism within Protestant churches. The
willingness of the proponents of these types of mysticism to deceive others so
as not to evoke criticism or opposition is in itself a sign of the working of the
spirit of antichrist!
The teachings of monastic mysticism—contemplative spirituality—have been
introduced into churches today through a renewed interest in the writings and
teachings of the early Catholic mystics—particularly the Desert Fathers. The
Desert Fathers were Christian hermits who lived in the wilderness in order to
fully devote themselves to God. They dwelt in small isolated communities and
spent their lives seeking a deeper relationship with God. Today’s contemplative
movement traces its roots back to these monks. It is these monks who were
the first to promote the mantra as a prayer tool within Christianity. Daniel
Goleman, a meditative scholar, writes in his book The Meditative Mind, “One
meditation scholar made this connection when he said: ‘The meditation
practices and rules for living of these earliest Christian monks bear strong
similarity to those of their Hindu and Buddhist renunciate brethren several
kingdoms to the East ... the meditative techniques they adopted for finding
their God suggest either a borrowing from the East or a spontaneous
rediscovery.’”155 Ray Yungen, a researcher who has extensively studied
155
Daniel Goleman, The Meditative Mind (1988), 53, Source: Yungen, “The Desert
Fathers.”
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mysticism within the church, adds, “Consequently, the desert fathers believed
as long as the desire for God was sincere—anything could be utilized to reach
God. If a method worked for the Hindus to reach their gods, then Christian
mantras could be used to reach Jesus.”156
The Desert Fathers were influential in merging Eastern spirituality with
Christianity. Recognizing this, Ray Yungen makes a wise observation, “In many
ways the desert fathers were like Cain—eager to please but not willing to listen
to the instruction of the Lord and do what is right. One cannot fault them for
their devotion, but one certainly can for their lack of discernment.”157 In the
Biblical account of Cain and Abel, God made His wishes known regarding the
acceptable sacrifice. Abel obeyed God and his sacrifice was accepted, but Cain
chose to ignore the desire of God and offer a sacrifice of his own will.
According to Scripture, his sacrifice was unacceptable (Gen. 4:3–7158). In
looking at the testimonies of the Desert Fathers, these were very committed
individuals. We can’t fault them for their desires. They seem to have genuinely
desired intimacy with God, but they turned to the wrong source to accomplish
this. They displayed a lack of discernment,159 and we certainly can fault their
156
Yungen, “The Desert Fathers.”
Ibid.
158 Genesis 4:3–7: In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of
the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD
had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very
angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If
you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its
desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
159 God expects His people to discern between right and wrong, and between those who serve
God and those who do not:
Hebrews 5:12–14: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to
teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone
who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the
mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish
good from evil.
157
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methods. It is these methods which have laid the foundation for a form of
spirituality that is popular among most Christian denominations today and
which is directing people back to gurus and Eastern spirituality. But this
shouldn’t be surprising considering that the Desert Fathers originally derived
their methods, in part, from gurus and Eastern spiritual practices.
A comprehensive study of how these mystical practices moved out of the
monasteries and into both Catholic and Protestant churches would require an
entire book. Instead, we will focus our attention on a few key individuals who
bear much of the responsibility for accomplishing this feat.
It can be said that Thomas Keating initiated the modern contemplative
movement. Thomas Keating is a Trappist Monk. It was he who transitioned
these practices from the Roman Catholic monasteries to the Catholic laity.
According to a 2005 Newsweek article titled “In Search of the Spiritual:”
The 1960s did not penetrate very deeply into the small towns of the
Quaboag Valley of central Massachusetts. Even so, Father Thomas
Keating, the abbot of St. Joseph’s Abbey, couldn’t help noticing the
attraction that the exotic religious practices of the East held for many
young Roman Catholics. To him, as a Trappist monk, meditation was
second nature. He invited the great Zen master Roshi Sasaki to lead
retreats at the abbey. And surely, he thought, there must be a precedent
within the church for making such simple but powerful spiritual
techniques available to laypeople. His Trappist brother Father William
Meninger found it in one day in 1974, in a dusty copy of a 14thcentury guide to contemplative meditation, “The Cloud of Unknowing.”
Drawing on that work, as well as the writings of the contemplatives Saint
Malachi 3:17–18: “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up
my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once
more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God
and one who does not serve him.”
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John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of Avila, the two monks began
teaching a form of Christian meditation that grew into the worldwide
phenomenon known as centering prayer. Twice a day for 20 minutes,
practitioners find a quiet place to sit with their eyes closed and surrender
their minds to God. In more than a dozen books and in speeches and
retreats that have attracted tens of thousands, Keating has spread the
word to a world of “hungry people, looking for a deeper relationship with
God.”160
How can we fault Thomas Keating for encouraging people to surrender their
minds to God and to develop a deeper relationship with God? Well, here it is
important to understand what he means when he uses these terms because
what he means and what we mean are not the same. Thomas Keating, as with
many “Christian” mystics, has intentionally couched his teaching in language
which is innocuous. However, what he is trying to camouflage with his
language is his belief that we are essentially God. In an interview where he was
asked to summarize his teachings on the spiritual journey “from the mundane
to the mind,” Thomas Keating said that we should first realize that there is a
God, or an “Other” with a capital “O.” Then we try to become the Other.
Finally, we realize that there is no Other. Instead, we and the Other are one.
We always have been, and we always will be one:
The beginning of the spiritual journey is the realization—not just the
information—but a real interior conviction that there is a higher power,
or God, or to make it as easy as possible for everybody, that there is an
Other—capital O. Second step—to try to become the Other. Still a
capital O. And finally, the realization that there is no Other. You and the
Other are One—always have been, always will be. You just think that you
aren’t. And that as the spiritual journey unfolds, one lets go of these false
beliefs in one’s separation from God, and begins to perceive in all events
160
83
Adler, “In Search of the Spiritual,” 46.
and other people the same presence of God that one is more and more
aware of in one’s self at the deepest level. And thus the words of Paul
become something that make sense—that God is all in all. In other
words, in a sense, we not only become God, but are God. Our little local
consciousness disappears with death because it’s mostly based on the
brain, but the consciousness of our consciousness, which is God within us,
remains forever. And so as we move into God-consciousness, so to
speak, then we perceive how everything that we’ve done that was good
was not us but God in us, serving God in other people, God in us loving
God in other people, or simply God in us greeting God in other
people.161
Thomas Keating’s understanding of who God is and our relationship to Him
does not match the Bible’s understanding. What Thomas Keating means when
he talks about developing a deeper relationship with God is fundamentally
different from what we mean when we talk about developing a deeper
relationship with God. Essentially, Thomas Keating is teaching us to surrender
our minds to ourselves.
Having noted this, let’s continue with the story of how Thomas Keating
brought these mystical practices out from the Roman Catholic monasteries and
introduced them to the Catholic laity. According to an article in the Miami
Herald titled “A Quiet Revolution,” “Through the late 1960s and early
1970s, Father Keating and two other monks met with Buddhist and Hindu
teachers in an effort to understand the mass defection of young Catholics at
the time, people drawn in part to the East’s meditation practices. Their
research led Keating, then an abbot at a Massachusetts monastery, to begin
unearthing a similar meditative method based on the Christian tradition.”162
161
162
lowellballard, “Thomas Keating.”
“A Quiet Revolution,” The Miami Herald, Source: “Who Is Thomas Keating?”
84
This method is what is known today as contemplative prayer. Thus, the
contemplative method of prayer became Thomas Keating’s means of providing
the Roman Catholic laity with an Eastern spiritual experience within the
confines of Christianity. To better promote this method, Thomas Keating
helped to found an organization called Contemplative Outreach. According to
the Contemplative Outreach website:
Fr. Thomas Keating is a founding member and the spiritual guide of
Contemplative Outreach, LTD. He has served on Contemplative
Outreach’s Board of Trustees since the organization’s beginning and is
currently serving as the Chairman of the Board. Fr. Keating is one of the
principal architects and teachers of the Christian contemplative prayer
movement and, in many ways, Contemplative Outreach is a manifestation
of his longtime desire to contribute to the recovery of the contemplative
dimension of Christianity.163
It may have been Thomas Keating who introduced contemplative prayer to the
Roman Catholic laity, but it was another Trappist monk named Thomas
Merton who popularized it among the Catholic laity. Eventually he even
managed to introduce and popularize it among the Protestants. Ray Yungen
has described Thomas Merton in this way:
What Martin Luther King was to the civil rights movement and what
Henry Ford was to the automobile, Thomas Merton is to contemplative
prayer. Although this prayer movement existed centuries before he came
along, Merton took it out of its monastic setting and made it available to
and popular with the masses. It is interesting to me that many people still
think celebrity star Shirley MacLaine was the greatest influence in the
New Age. But for me, hands down, Thomas Merton has influenced New
Age thinking more than any person of recent decades. Merton penned
163
85
Contemplative Outreach, “Fr. Thomas Keating.”
one of the most classic descriptions of New Age spirituality I have ever
come across.164
This is the quote by Thomas Merton to which Ray Yungen is referring:
It is a glorious destiny to be a member of the human race ... now I realize
what we all are. ... If only they [people] could all see themselves as they
really are. ... I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down
and worship each other ... At the center of our being is a point of
nothingness which is untouched by sin and by illusions, a point of pure
truth ... This little point of nothingness and of absolute poverty is the pure
glory of God in us. … It is in everybody …165
Similar to Thomas Keating, Thomas Merton believed that we are inherently
divine.
Thomas Merton was a man with many faces. Like Thomas Keating, Thomas
Merton was a Trappist monk. Anthony Clarke wrote an article for Catholic
Answers Magazine titled “Can You Trust Thomas Merton?” in which he says:
Fr. Thomas Merton was a man of a thousand lives. He was at one time a
womanizer, a member of the Young Communist League, an English
student at Columbia, a peace activist, an English teacher at St.
Bonaventure University, and a social work volunteer. He was an orphan,
the father of a child, a Catholic convert, a Trappist monk, a priest, a
poet, a writer, and some describe him as a Zen Buddhist. It is difficult to
distill the essence of Thomas Merton: He and his works are complex.166
164
Ray Yungen, A Time of Departing, p. 58, Source: “Thomas Merton – Contemplative.”
Merton, Conjectures, 154–155.
166 Clark, “Can You Trust Thomas Merton?”
165
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What can be certain is that Thomas Merton was on a continual spiritual
journey. It may be difficult to pin him to a particular theology, but whatever it
may have been, he always merged Christianity with Eastern spirituality.
Thomas Merton’s journey into Roman Catholicism was reinforced when he
met the Hindu monk Mahanambrata Brahmachari who encouraged him to
read The Confessions of St. Augustine and Thomas Kempis’ book Imitation of
Christ. His Catholicism was always a hybrid of Catholic orthodoxy and Eastern
mysticism. Throughout his life, he studied Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism,
Jainism, and Sufism. Jainism is an Indian religion which follows a path of nonviolence and emphasizes the spiritual independence and equality between all
forms of life. As for Sufism, it is Islamic mysticism. Thomas Merton pioneered
dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures such as the Dalai Lama, D.T.
Suzuki, and Thich Nhat Hanh.167 He once told a group of women, “I am
deeply impregnated with Sufism.”168 And in “Recollections of Thomas
Merton’s Last Days in the West,” Benedictine monk Brother David SteindlRast writes that Thomas Merton told him, “I see no contradiction between
Buddhism and Christianity. The future of Zen is in the West. I intend to
become as good a Buddhist as I can.”169 He also writes, “‘But isn’t there still
an implicit dualism in all this?’ I asked. His answer was, ‘Really there isn’t, and
yet there is. You have to see your will and God’s will dualistically for a long
time. You have to experience duality for a long time until you see it’s not
there. In this respect I am a Hindu.’”170
In his book Spiritual Friend, Tilden Edwards notes, “Thomas Merton in many
ways helped pave the way for recent serious Christian investigation of these
167
Wikipedia, “Thomas Merton.”
Thomas Merton, quoted in Merton and Sufism, Robert Baker and Gray Henry, Ed.s, 69,
Source: Yungen, A Time of Departing, 60.
169 David Steindl-Rast, “Recollections of Thomas Merton’s Last Days in the West,” Monastic
Studies (Pine City, 1969), Source: Steindl-Rast, “Recollections.”
170 Ibid.
168
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potential Eastern contributions.”171 It cannot be denied that Thomas Merton’s
Christianity was highly infused with Eastern spirituality. In fact, Yoga Journal
reports, “Merton had encountered Zen Buddhism, Sufism, Taoism and Vedanta
many years prior to his Asian journey. Merton was able to uncover the stream
where the wisdom of East and West merge and flow together, beyond dogma,
in the depths of inner experience. . . . Merton embraced the spiritual
philosophies of the East and integrated this wisdom into [his] own life through
direct practice.”172
Thomas Merton denied the doctrine of original sin in his book Conjectures of
a Guilty Bystander:
Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts, the
depths of their hearts where neither sin nor desire nor self-knowledge
can reach, the core of their reality, the person that each one is in God’s
eyes. If only they could see themselves as they really are. If only we could
see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no
more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed. … I suppose the big
problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other. But
this cannot be seen, only believed and “understood” by a peculiar gift.
Again, that expression, le point vierge, (I cannot translate it) comes in
here. At the center of our being is a point of nothingness which is
untouched by sin and by illusion, a point of pure truth, a point or spark
which belongs entirely to God, which is never at our disposal, from which
God disposes of our lives, which is inaccessible to the fantasies of our
mind or the brutalities of our own will. This little point of nothingness and
of absolute poverty is the pure glory of God in us. It is so to speak His
171
Tilden Edwards, Spiritual Friend, 18–19, Source: Yungen, “5 Things You Should Know.”
Michael Torris, Yoga Journal, January-February 1999, Source: Yungen, “5 Things You
Should Know.”
172
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name written is us, as our poverty, as our indigence, as our dependence,
as our sonship. It is like a pure diamond, blazing with the invisible light of
heaven. It is in everybody, and if we could see it we would see these
billion points of light coming together in the face and blaze of a sun that
would all the darkness and cruelty of life vanish completely. … the gate of
heaven is everywhere.173, 174
This is heresy. This is a total rejection of the doctrine of original sin. Thomas
Merton believed that every person is inherently good because God resides at
the center of every person—therefore, there is no need for the true gospel
message or for regeneration.
So Thomas Keating took these mystical practices out of the Roman Catholic
monasteries and introduced them to the Catholic laity. Thomas Merton then
popularized this monastic mysticism among the Catholic laity and subsequently
introduced it to the Protestants. Among the Protestants, a man named Richard
Foster popularized the teaching. Richard Foster is one of the primary bridge
builders between Evangelicalism and monastic mysticism, or contemplative
spirituality. He is a Quaker mystic who is best known for his book Celebration
of Discipline which was named as one of the top 10 religious books of the
20th century by Christianity Today.175 In fact, one pastor speculated that there
is hardly a pastor in the United States who does not have Richard Foster’s
book Celebration of Discipline in his study.176
In his book Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster writes, “Though it may
sound strange to modern ears, we should all without shame enroll as
173
Merton, Conjectures, 154–156.
le point vierge is a French phrase which can be translated as “the virgin point,” or “the
blank slate.”
(George, “Mary: Le point vierge.”)
175 “Books of the Century.”
176 Lagosz1, “Ray Yungen.”
174
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apprentices in the school of contemplative prayer.”177 It is not terribly
surprising that Richard Foster would endorse contemplative mysticism when
one considers his Quaker roots. According to Quaker doctrine, every person
possesses a Divine inner light of truth.178 In the book Christianity Through the
Centuries, Earle Cairns notes:
The Quakers appeared on the English religious scene during the chaotic
period of the Civil War and the Commonwealth. They set aside the
doctrines of an organized church and the Bible as the sole and final
revelation of God’s will in favor of the doctrine of the Inner Light, by
which they meant that the Holy Spirit can give immediate and direct
knowledge of God apart from the Bible. They resembled the Montanists,
but their mystical tendencies were fortunately balanced by moral
earnestness and a strong social passion.179
If an individual can connect with this Divine inner light, then he can receive
special guidance. This is very similar to contemplative prayer where the mind
descends into the heart and connects with God in our inner-most being. In
fact, Richard Foster borrows the words of the Russian contemplative mystic
Theophan the Recluse in his book Sanctuary of the Soul: Journey Into
Meditative Prayer, “To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart, and
177
Foster, Celebration, 15.
The Quakers “affirm the ‘Inner Light,’ the spiritual nerve center that God has placed in
every person. … The Society of Friends began with the vision of George Fox (1624–91), a
British seeker after spiritual truth and peace during the turmoil of the English Civil War and its
aftermath. After failing to find satisfactory truth and peace in the churches of his time, Fox discovered
what he sought in a direct personal relationship with Christ: “When all my hopes in [churches] were
gone… I heard a voice which said, ‘That is the Inner Voice, or Inner Light, based upon the description
of John 1:9: “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (KJV)” ’ “ This
voice, Fox maintained, is available to all and has nothing to do with the ceremonies, rituals, or creeds
over which Christians have fought. Every heart is God’s altar and shrine.” (emphasis removed)
(Mead and Hill, Handbook Of Denominations In The United States, 14–141, Source: Silva,
“Contemplating.”
179 Cairns, Christianity, 381.
178
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there to stand before the face of the Lord, ever-present, all seeing, within
you.”
Richard Foster’s spirituality is based on monastic mysticism. It is not based
upon the clear teaching of Scripture. Referring to spiritual disciplines, he says,
“Recent converts—for that matter people who have yet to turn their lives over
to Jesus Christ – can and should practice them.”180 This statement reveals
that whatever spiritual disciplines Richard Foster is writing about, they are not
the same disciplines that the Apostles wrote about.181 True spiritual disciplines,
according to Scripture, stem from the influence of the Holy Spirit in the life of
a genuine Christian.
Richard Foster is a disciple of Thomas Merton and frequently quotes Merton in
his writings. He positively quotes Merton nine times in his book Celebration of
Discipline alone. Richard Foster even refers to Thomas Merton’s book
180
Foster, Celebration, 2.
In his book A Time of Departing, Ray Yungen writes:
During a trip across the country, I stopped to research at the world headquarters for the Unity
School of Christianity, a New Age metaphysical church located in the suburbs of Kansas City,
Missouri. In their bookstore under authors A-Z (a who’s who of New Age writers), I found no
less than five of Foster’s titles. A number of New Age bookstores also carry his books, under the
headings of mysticism.
181
After seeing Celebration of Discipline at one New Age bookstore (a store operated by devotees
of a famous Hindu swami), I asked the store’s book buyer what he thought of Foster. “He is
wonderful,” the man enthusiastically replied. “His views on prayer are absolutely wonderful.” I
then asked if he knew Foster was considered a conservative Christian in many circles. His reply
was intriguing: “Well, if he was a fundamentalist he wouldn’t be sold at a bookstore like this
one.” He ended the conversation with further praise of Foster.
Perhaps the most unsettling example of all is in a book titled The Miracle of Prayer. This book
could not be any more blatantly New Age in viewpoint, filled with occult concepts and
references. Yet under suggested reading, in the back of the book, Foster’s book, Prayer: Finding
the Heart’s True Home is recommended.
(Yungen, A Time of Departing, 78.)
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Contemplative Prayer as a spiritual classic and as “a must book.”182 He says
that Thomas Merton shared “priceless wisdom for all Christians who long to
go deeper in the spiritual life.”183 Ray Yungen recalls, “It was after this that I
attended a local seminar where Richard Foster was speaking. At the end of the
meeting, I approached him. Wanting to know more about Foster’s beliefs, I
asked, ‘What do you think about the current contemplative prayer movement?’
Foster emphatically told me, ‘Thomas Merton tried to awaken God’s
people!’”184
Thomas Merton is not the only mystic promoted in Richard Foster’s writings.
He endorses other mystics such as Henri Nouwen and Tilden Edwards. In his
book Celebration of Discipline (revised editions), Foster recommends Tilden
Edwards’ book Spiritual Friend, listing it under “Excellent books on spirituality.”
He writes, “Spiritual Friend helps clear away the confusion and invites us to
see that we do not have to live the spiritual life in isolation. Also, you will want
to be acquainted with Edwards’ earlier book Living Simply Through the
Day.”185
In this book, Spiritual Friend, Tilden Edwards advocates contemplative prayer
and Eastern religious traditions. He writes:
This mystical stream [contemplative prayer and other monastic traditions]
is the Western bridge to Far Eastern spirituality (and to that of Sufi
Moslems and some Hasidic Jews in the West as well). … It is no accident
that the most active frontier between Christian and Eastern religions
today is between contemplative Christian monks and their Eastern
182
Richard Foster, Meditative Prayer (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship,
1983), Source: Yungen, A Time of Departing, 77.
183 Richard Foster and James Smith, Devotional Classics (San Francisco: Harper, 1993), 61,
Source: Yungen, A Time of Departing, 78.
184 Yungen, “Richard Foster and the Be Still DVD.”
185 Foster, Celebration, 220.
92
equivalents. Some forms of Eastern meditation informally have been
incorporated or adapted into the practice of many Christian monks, and
increasingly by other Christians.
This exchange, together with the more popular Eastern impact in the
West through transcendental meditation, Hatha Yoga, the martial arts,
and through many available courses on Eastern religions in universities,
has aided a recent rediscovery of Christian apophatic mystical tradition
…186
As for Henri Nouwen,187 he was a Roman Catholic mystic who was strongly
influenced by Thomas Merton. He even received the Thomas Merton Award in
1985.188 Henri Nouwen denied the true gospel message by teaching that
God is already within everyone. In his book Here and Now, he writes, “The
God who dwells in our inner sanctuary is the same as the one who dwells in
the inner sanctuary of each human being.”189 Nevertheless, a Christian
Century magazine survey in 2003 concluded that Nouwen’s writings were the
first choice for both Catholic and mainline Protestant clergy.190
In his book In the Name of Jesus, Henri Nouwen writes that Christian leaders
must move from the moral to the mystical, saying, “Through the discipline of
contemplative prayer, Christian leaders have to learn to listen to the voice of
186
Edwards, Spiritual Friend, 18–19.
According to his biographer, Michael Ford, Nouwen acknowledged in his private journals
and in discussions with friends that he was homosexual. Some have attempted to use this to slander his
name. However, his priestly vows of celibacy and his devotion to Catholic doctrine prevented him from
being an active homosexual.*
(* Michael Ford, Wounded Prophet: A Portrait of Henri J.M. Nouwen.)
188 Thomas Merton Center, “Award Winners.”
189 Henri Nouwen, Here and Now, 22 (Crossroad, 1994), Source: Yungen, “5 Things You
Should Know.”
190 Jackson Carroll, “Pastors’ Picks: What Preachers Are Reading,” Christian Century 120, no.
17, (August 23, 2003):31, Source: Wikipedia, “Henri Nouwen.”
187
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love. ... For Christian leadership to be truly fruitful in the future, a movement
from the moral to the mystical is required.”191 This is one of the men
endorsed by Richard Foster.
When we take the time to define what is intended by the terms “contemplative
spirituality,” “spiritual formation,” and “spiritual disciplines,” and when we
examine the theology of its chief proponents, we should be compelled to reject
this teaching as being unbiblical. It is monastic mysticism which is nothing less
than Eastern spirituality disguised as Christianity.
Thomas Keating, Thomas Merton, and Richard Foster were instrumental in
resurrecting the monastic mystical traditions and re-introducing them to
Roman Catholicism, and eventually to all Christian denominations. Today many
influential and popular Christian leaders have leaned upon these men for their
own spiritual growth and have endorsed or advocated their books and
teachings. For some of these Christian leaders, their endorsement is probably
made with full knowledge of the historical background behind these mystical
practices. For others, their endorsement is probably made out of a lack of
knowledge or a confusion regarding the nature of these mystical practices.
Some of these Christian leaders are very likely still experiencing the pendulum
effect of breaking away from legalism and seeking after how to properly
incorporate the Holy Spirit into their ministries and personal lives. As such,
some of these Christian leaders may have unwittingly swung toward mysticism.
We can only hope that they will eventually recognize the error of “Christian”
mysticism and amend their ways.
A partial list of influential leaders who have, to one degree or another,
encouraged or associated themselves with “Christian” mysticism includes:
Dallas Willard, John Ortberg, Doug Pagitt, Rob Bell, Chuck Smith Jr., Robert
Schuller, Eugene Peterson, John Eldridge, Rick Warren, Beth Moore, Ann
191
Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus, 6, 31–32.
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Voskamp, Bill Hybels, Philip Yancey, Ruth Haley Barton, Lee Strobel, John
Piper, David Jeremiah, and Chuck Swindoll.192
Many ministries, organizations, and Christian events have also encouraged
mystical practices and have advocated the books and teachings of “Christian”
mystics. These “Christian” mystics often rely heavily upon the teachings of
Thomas Keating, Thomas Merton, and Richard Foster. A partial list of these
Christian ministries, organizations, and Christian events includes: Christianity
Today, Focus on the Family, Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), Cornerstone
Festival, The Navigators, The Baptist Standard, Christian Broadcasting
Network, and the Acts 29 Network.193
Even many Christian publishing houses have chosen to publish books which
teach “Christian” mysticism. A partial list includes: Zondervan, Thomas Nelson,
Moody Press, InterVarsity Press, NavPress, and Eerdman’s.194
This is only a sampling of Christian leaders, ministries, publications, and
publishing houses that have—perhaps, in some cases, unwittingly—endorsed or
advocated “Christian” mystics and their teachings. The above lists are not
intended to single out anyone—despite the fact that it necessarily does. Neither
are they meant to advocate separating ourselves from these individuals and
ministries. Many in the above lists are solid individuals or ministries who are
doing a great work for the Lord. However, everyone has faults and spiritual
blind spots. Those in the above lists have—to varying degrees—whether
knowingly or not, introduced their followers to monastic mystical traditions.
The above list is intended only to reveal how “Christian” mysticism is nearly
impossible to avoid. Regardless of whether we have ever heard the names
192
List compiled from http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com.
List compiled from http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com.
194 List compiled from http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com.
193
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Thomas Keating, Thomas Merton, and Richard Foster, these doctrines are
infiltrating our churches and our favorite ministries. Today we are being
exposed to these mystical doctrines, and sometimes this exposure comes from
the most unlikely of sources. The important thing to realize is that this is not
something which is relegated to the fringe elements of Christianity. Instead,
these teachings can be readily found in our section of the Christian bookstore,
on the radio stations that we enjoy listening to, and on the websites that we
frequent. This is why it is imperative that we do not blindly follow after
individuals. We must be as the Bereans who considered what they were being
taught and compared it against Scripture before accepting it. 195 The Bible is
the standard to which all teaching must be held to in order to determine if it is
true or false. To ignore or forsake the Bible is to fall victim to the deception of
Certainly, this book is not suggesting that everyone in the above lists is evil or
needs to be rejected. Many of them have wonderful ministries which have
strengthened God’s church. Any names in the above list are included only to
illustrate the fact that it is nearly impossible for solid Evangelical, Baptist, and
Reformed Christians to avoid being exposed to these teachings. For this
reason, we need to be able to identify when we are being fed something
mystical. We need to recognize the true source of this mysticism. And we need
to be able to discern what Scripture has to say regarding these mystical
practices. In this way will we be able to stand against the schemes of the Devil
(Eph. 6:11196).
195
Acts 17:10–11: The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea,
and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than
those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see
if these things were so.
196 Ephesians 6:11: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the
schemes of the devil.
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Chapter 5
Christian Mysticism – Part 2
“Christian” mysticism replaces the conviction and certainty that we can have in
God’s Word with a subjective personal experience. Recall that “mysticism,” as
defined by Merriam-Webster.com, is “The belief that direct knowledge of God,
spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience
(as intuition or insight).”197 The specific aspects of mysticism that we are
considering in this book rely upon methods and practices which not only
cannot be found in Scripture, but which often directly contradict the principles
of Scripture. This is the pinnacle of spiritual deception. Recall that one of our
litmus tests for identifying the spirit of antichrist is that this spirit is a liar and a
deceiver (2 John 1:7198). Moreover, this spirit denies the authority of God’s
Word (1 John 5:10–12199). Any practice which places personal experience
above the certainty of God’s Word is necessarily governed by the spirit of
197
“Mysticism,” Merriam-Webster.com.
2 John 1:7: For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess
the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.
199 1 John 5:10–12: Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that
God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this
life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have
life.
198
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antichrist. As such, it cannot deepen one’s relationship with God or strengthen
one’s faith.
In his book Reckless Faith: When the Church Loses Its Will To Discern, Dr.
John MacArthur does a great job of expressing how mysticism does not
improve one’s faith, rather it inevitably leads Christians into a reckless form of
faith:
Mysticism is the idea that spiritual reality is found by looking inward.
Mysticism is perfectly suited for religious existentialism; indeed, it is its
inevitable consequence. The mystic disdains rational understanding and
seeks truth instead through the feelings, the imagination, personal visions,
inner voices, private illumination, or other purely subjective means.
Objective truth becomes practically superfluous.
Mystical experiences are therefore self-authenticating; that is, they are
not subject to any form of objective verification. They are unique to the
person who experiences them. Since they do not arise from or depend
upon any rational process, they are invulnerable to any refutation by
rational means.
Arthur L. Johnson writes,
The experience convinces the mystic in such a way, and to such a
degree, that [he] simply cannot doubt its value and the correctness
of what he believes it “says.”
. . . In its crudest form this position says that believing something to
be so makes it so. The idea is that ultimate reality is purely mental;
therefore one is able to create whatever reality one wishes. Thus the
mystic “creates” truth through his experience. In a less extreme
form, the view seems to be that there are “alternate realities,” one
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as real as another, and that these “break in upon” the mystic in his
experiences. Whatever form is taken, the criterion of truth is again a
purely private and subjective experience that provides no means of
verification and no safeguard against error. Nevertheless, it is seen
by the mystic as being above question by others.
The practical result of all this is that it is nearly impossible to reason
with any convinced mystic. Such people are generally beyond the
reach of reason.
Mysticism is therefore antithetical to discernment. It is an extreme form of
reckless faith.
Mysticism is the great melting pot into which neo-orthodoxy, the
charismatic movement, anti-intellectual evangelicals, and even some
segments of Roman Catholicism have been synthesized. It has produced
movements like the Third Wave (a neo-charismatic movement with
excessive emphasis on signs, wonders, and personal prophecies);
Renovaré (an organization that blends teachings from monasticism,
ancient Catholic mysticism, Eastern religion, and other mystical
traditions); the spiritual warfare movement (which seeks to engage
demonic powers in direct confrontation); and the modern prophecy
movement (which encourages believers to seek private, extrabiblical
revelation directly from God). The influx of mysticism has also opened
evangelicalism to New-Age concepts like subliminal thought-control,
inner healing, communication with angels, channeling, dream analysis,
positive confession, and a host of other therapies and practices coming
directly from occult and Eastern religions. The face of evangelicalism has
changed so dramatically in the past twenty years that what is called
evangelicalism today is beginning to resemble what used to be called
neo-orthodoxy. If anything, some segments of contemporary
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evangelicalism are even more subjective in their approach to truth than
neo-orthodoxy ever was.
It could be argued that evangelicalism never successfully resisted neoorthodoxy. Twenty years ago evangelicals took a heroic stand against
neo-orthodox influences on the issue of biblical inerrancy. But whatever
victory was gained in that battle is now being sacrificed on the altar of
mysticism. Mysticism renders biblical inerrancy irrelevant. After all, if the
highest truth is subjective and comes from within us, then it doesn’t
ultimately matter if the specifics of Scripture are true or not. If the
content of faith is not the real issue, what does it really matter if the Bible
has errors or not?
In other words, neo-orthodoxy attacked the objective inspiration of
Scripture. Evangelical mysticism attacks the objective interpretation of
Scripture. The practical effect is the same. By embracing existential
relativism, evangelicals are forfeiting the very riches they fought so hard
to protect. If we can gain meaningful guidance from characters who
appear in our fantasies, why should we bother ourselves with what the
Bible says? If we are going to disregard or even reject the biblical verdict
against homosexuality, what difference does it make if the historical and
factual matter revealed in Scripture is accurate or inaccurate? If personal
prophecies, visions, dreams, and angelic beings are available to give us
up-to-the-minute spiritual direction—“fresh revelation” as it is often
called—who cares if Scripture is without error in the whole or in the
parts?
Mysticism further nullifies Scripture by pointing people away from the
sure Word of God as the only reliable object of faith. Warning of the
dangers of mysticism, Schaeffer wrote,
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Probably the best way to describe this concept of modern theology is
to say that it is faith in faith, rather than faith directed to an object
which is actually there. . . . A modern man cannot talk about the
object of his faith, only about the faith itself. So he can discuss the
existence of his faith and its “size” as it exists against all reason, but
that is all. Modern man’s faith turns inward. . . . Faith is introverted,
because it has no certain object . . . it is rationally not open to
discussion. This position, I would suggest, is actually a greater despair
and darkness than the position of those modern men who commit
suicide.
The faith of mysticism is an illusion. “Truth that is true for me” is
irrelevant to anyone else, because it lacks any objective basis. Ultimately,
therefore, existential faith is impotent to lift anyone above the level of
despair. All it can do is seek more experiences and more feelings.
Multitudes are trapped in the desperate cycle of feeding off one
experience while zealously seeking the next. Such people have no real
concept of truth; they just believe. Theirs is a reckless faith.200
Rather than safe-guard the Christian from this reckless form of faith, many
pastors and churches are actively promoting mystical techniques. Consequently,
Christians are being initiated into mysticism in droves. To consider each of
these mystical techniques would be an exercise in futility. Instead, let us
consider several of the key areas of contemplative mysticism which the modern
Christian church has found so appealing.
200
101
MacArthur, Reckless Faith, 27–30.
Contemplative Prayer
Contemplative prayer is the practice of using relaxation techniques and
repetition to empty the mind in order to connect with the presence of God
within one’s self. Within the Christian church today, there are many synonyms
for “contemplative prayer.” Some of these synonyms include “meditative
prayer,” “centering prayer,” “soaking prayer,” “prayer of listening,” “prayer of
the heart,” “prayer of faith,” “prayer of simplicity,” “pure prayer,” and
“Christian meditation.” Regardless of what one calls it, this is, in essence, the
ancient practice of transcendental meditation. According to the editor of New
Age Journal, in his New Age treatise titled As Above, So Below, “Those who
have practiced Transcendental Meditation may be surprised to learn that
Christianity has its own time-honored form of mantra meditation. The
technique, called Centering Prayer, draws on the spiritual exercises of the
Desert Fathers, the English devotional classic, The Cloud of Unknowing, and
the famous Jesus Prayer practiced by the Eastern Christian tradition.”201
In his book Spiritual Friend, Tilden Edwards writes about contemplative prayer,
referring to it as a mystical stream, “This mystical stream is the Western bridge
to Far Eastern spirituality … It is no accident that the most active frontier
between Christian and Eastern religions today is between contemplative
Christian monks and their Eastern equivalents. Some forms of Eastern
meditation informally have been incorporated or adapted into the practice of
many Christian monks, and increasingly by other Christians.”202 It is
interesting to notice here that Mr. Edwards states that contemplative prayer is
a bridge, not to God, but to “Far Eastern spirituality.” Tilden Edwards admits
that contemplative prayer is equivalent to the Eastern practice of
transcendental meditation, and that it is the primary method being used to
introduce Eastern mysticism into Christian churches.
201
202
Miller, As Above, 52.
102
Embedded in the forward to William Johnston’s book The Mystical Way is the
observation, “The twentieth century, which has seen so many revolutions, is
now witnessing the rise of a new mysticism within Christianity. . . . For the
new mysticism has learned much from the great religions of Asia. It has felt
the impact of yoga and Zen and the monasticism of Tibet. It pays attention to
posture and breathing; it knows about the music of the mantra and the silence
of samadhi.”203 (In Hinduism, the Samadhi is spiritual enlightenment.)
Furthermore, according to a 1992 Newsweek article titled “Talking to God,”
“The techniques [Herbert] Benson teaches—silence, appropriate body posture
and, above all, emptying the mind through repetition of prayer—have been the
practices of mystics in all the great world religions. And they form the basis on
which most modern spiritual directors guide those who want to draw closer to
God.”204
Contemplative prayer is deeply rooted in the mystical. There is nothing
decidedly Christian about this practice. Aside from a difference in vocabulary,
there is virtually no distinction between it and the Eastern spiritual practice of
transcendental meditation.
The term “contemplative prayer” is deceiving because it implies that one is
thinking deeply while praying. Such an idea naturally resonates with the
Christian given that Scripture repeatedly exhorts the Christian to meditate
upon the precepts of God’s Word. The Hebrew word for “meditate” used in
such passages as Psalm 77:11–12205 and 119:15206 means “to muse”207
203
Johnston, The Mystical Way, “Forward.”
Woodward, “Talking to God,” 44.
205 Psalm 77:11–12: I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your
wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.
206 Psalm 119:15: I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
207 “Hagah” derived from “hagiyg,” meaning “meditation, musing.”
(Strong, Strong’s, #H1897, 32.)
204
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or “to ponder.”208 In other words, the Biblical term for “meditation” means to
think deeply upon something. However, contemplative prayer teaches that we
must empty our minds and stop our thoughts in order to experience God. Jan
Johnson has written a book advocating contemplative prayer called When the
Soul Listens. In it she writes, “Contemplative prayer, in its simplest form, is
prayer in which you still your thoughts and emotions and focus on God
Himself. This puts you in a better state to be aware of God’s presence, and it
makes you better able to hear God’s voice correcting, guiding, and directing
you.”209
In the context of contemplative prayer, to still one’s thoughts is intended to
mean an emptying of one’s thoughts. This is what Jan Johnson advocates in
her book When the Soul Listens. Quoting William Johnston’s book The Cloud
of Unknowing, she writes, “‘In the beginning, it is usual to feel nothing except
a naked intent toward God in the depths of your being. If you strive to fix your
love on God, forgetting all else, which is the work of contemplation, I am
confident that God in his goodness will bring you to a deep experience of
himself.’ If you’re a person who has relied on yourself a great deal to know
what’s going on, this unknowing will be unnerving.”210 She then proceeds to
recommend James Borst’s steps to contemplative prayer in his book A Method
of Contemplative Prayer, “Let go of thoughts, relax, and maintain silence.”211
She even suggests using the mantra “I am here” to empty the mind.
Often mantras are used to numb the mind. Constant repetition of a word or
phrase—whether audible or mental—disengages the brain and induces a form
208
“Siyach,” meaning “to meditate, to ponder, to muse.”
209 Johnson, When the Soul Listens,” 16.
210 James Borst, A Method of Contemplative Prayer, Source: Johnston, When the Soul Listens,
120.
211 James Borst, A Method of Contemplative Prayer, Source: Johnson, When the Soul Listens,
121.
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of hypnosis. Jan Johnson writes, “The repetition can in fact be soothing and
very freeing, helping us, as Nouwen says, ‘to empty out our crowded interior
life and create the quiet space where we can dwell with God.’” In The Cloud
of Unknowing, William Johnston writes:
… [T]ake just a little word, of one syllable rather than of two, for the
shorter it is, the better it is in agreement with this exercise of the spirit.
Such a one is the word “God” or the word “love.” … With this word you
are to beat upon this cloud and this darkness above you. With this word
you are to strike down every kind of thought under the cloud of
forgetting, so that if any thought should press upon you and ask you what
you would have, answer it with no other word but with this one.212
The particular word or phrase is meaningless. The same results can be
achieved with any word or phrase regardless of how spiritual or secular it may
be. In fact, the practitioner should not even think about the word or phrase
being used as it is merely a tool to empty the mind. Contemplative prayer
teacher and Zen Master Willigis Jager writes in Contemplation: A Christian
Path, “Do not reflect on the meaning of the word; thinking and reflecting must
cease, as all mystical writers insist. Simply ‘sound’ the word silently, letting go
of all feelings and thoughts.”213
As is evidenced in When a Soul Listens, a foundational book upon which most
advocates of contemplative prayer rely and frequently quote is The Cloud of
Unknowing by William Johnston. In a sense, it is the Bible of contemplative
prayer. According to this book:
Thought cannot comprehend God. And so, I prefer to abandon all I can
know, choosing rather to love him whom I cannot know. Though we
212
213
105
Johnston, The Cloud of Unknowing, 26–27.
Jager, Contemplation, p. 31.
cannot know him, we can love him. By love he may be touched and
embraced, never by thought. Of course, we do well at times to ponder
God’s majesty or kindness for the insight these meditations may bring.
But in the real contemplative work you must set all this aside and cover it
over with a cloud of forgetting. … It is inevitable that ideas will arise in
your mind and try to distract you in a thousand ways. … Don’t be
surprised if your thoughts seem holy and valuable for prayer. Probably
you will find yourself thinking about the wonderful qualities of Jesus, his
sweetness, his love, his graciousness, his mercy. But if you pay attention
to these ideas they will gain what they wanted of you, and will go on
chattering until they divert you even more to the thought of his passion.
Then will come ideas about his great kindness, and if you keep listening
they will be delighted. Soon you will be thinking about your sinful life and
perhaps in this connection you will recall some place where you have
lived in the past, until suddenly, before you know it, your mind is
completely scattered.
And yet they were not bad thoughts. … But a person who has long
pondered these things must eventually leave them behind beneath a cloud
of forgetting if he hopes to pierce the cloud of unknowing that lies
between him and his God. … And as it is wrong for a person who sits in
meditation to be thinking about the things he has done or will do
regardless how good and worthwhile they may be in themselves, likewise
it is wrong for a person who ought to be busy with the contemplative
work in the darkness of the cloud of unknowing to let ideas about God,
his wonderful gifts, his kindness, or his works distract him from
attentiveness to God himself. It is beside the point to say that they are
good thoughts full of comfort and delight. They have no place here!
This is why I urge you to dismiss every clever or subtle thought no matter
how holy or valuable. Cover it over with a thick cloud of forgetting
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because in this life only love can touch God as he is in himself, never
knowledge. … Therefore, firmly reject all clear ideas however pious or
delightful.214
In contemplative prayer, it is necessary to stop thinking and to forget what one
knows in order to experience God. By rejecting all clear thoughts, one can
experience God in a way which supersedes all else. William Johnston teaches
that neither Scripture, nor preaching, nor other forms of prayer, nor worship,
nor anything else can compare to the experience of, or benefit the believer to
the extent that contemplative prayer can:
Therefore, firmly reject all clear ideas however pious or delightful. For I
tell you this, one loving blind desire for God alone is more valuable in
itself, more pleasing to God and to the saints, more beneficial to your
own growth, and more helpful to your friends, both living and dead, than
anything else you could do. And you are more blessed to experience the
interior affection of this love within the darkness of the cloud of
unknowing than to contemplate the angles and saints or to hear the
mirth and melody of their heavenly festival.
Does this surprise you? That is only because you have not experienced it
for yourself. For when you do, as I certainly believe you will with God’s
grace, you will understand.215
This is heresy! William Johnston has set contemplative prayer above all else in
the life of a believer. However, the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy in 2
Timothy 3:15–17 that the Bible is God’s chief tool for perfecting and
equipping the saints, “[A]nd how from childhood you have been acquainted
with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through
214
215
107
Johnston, The Cloud of Unknowing, 46–47, 51–52.
Johnston, The Cloud of Unknowing, 52.
faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the
man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Anything which sets itself above the Word of God cannot be from God.
Rather, it belongs to the spirit of antichrist (1 John 5:10–12216).
Contemplative prayer requires that the Bible be first set aside. In order to
empty one’s mind, he must displace all doctrine and prior revelation from God.
However, this is opposed to David’s example which is provided in Psalm
119:16, “I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” Acts
13:22217 informs us that God considered David to be a man after His own
heart. Likewise, contemplative prayer is opposed to the Apostle Paul’s
exhortation to Titus that he adhere to uncorrupt doctrine in all things. In order
to accomplish this, Titus had to always keep in his mind what is true doctrine.
Titus 2:7 says, “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in
doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,” (KJV).218
The setting aside of Scripture is a prerequisite for contemplative prayer.
Furthermore, proponents of contemplative prayer have placed it above the
Bible in both its efficacy and its authority. As such, we have no option but to
conclude that contemplative prayer is a tactic which is used by the spirit of
antichrist to fool the well-intentioned Christian. At this point, it is important
that we keep in mind 1 Corinthians 10:21 which says, “You cannot drink
216
See footnote 199.
Acts 13:22: “And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of
whom he testified and said, “‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do
all my will.’”
218 Titus 2:7 (ESV): “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your
teaching show integrity, dignity,”
Both the ESV and the KJV are acceptable translations. The definition of the Greek word
didaskalia is “doctrine, learning, teaching.” Furthermore, “doctrine” means “teaching.”
(Strong, Strong’s, #G1319, 28)
217
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the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table
of the Lord and the table of demons.”
It has been said that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. In contrast
to Tilden Edward’s declaration, “What makes something Christian is not its
source, but its intent …,”219 a person’s intention is not sufficient to please the
Lord. God demands that we also follow His directives as revealed in Scripture.
Never does God instruct the Christian to disengage his mind. Instead, a sound
mind is a gift from God which is granted to all Christians according to 2
Timothy 1:7, “[F]or God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love
and self-control.” In order to be self-controlled, one must also be in control of
his own mind and emotions. It is impossible to be self-controlled when one’s
mind is empty and devoid of all reason. God advocates reasoning. This is why
He says in Isaiah 1:18a,220 “Come now, and let us reason together.”
Likewise, God repeatedly commands His people to exhort others which is
something that requires an engaged mind in order to both recall and convey
truth to others (1 Tim. 6:2;221 2 Tim. 4:2;222 Tit. 2:6;223 2:15;224 Heb.
3:13225). In fact, the ability to properly exhort others is a requirement for
those who would oversee God’s church according to Titus 1:9, “He must hold
firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give
instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”
219
Edwards, Living in the Presence, 18.
Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”
221 1 Timothy 6:2b: Teach and urge these things.
222 2 Timothy 4:2: [P]reach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke,
and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
223 Titus 2:6: Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.
224 Titus 2:15: Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard
you.
225 Hebrews 3:13: But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none
of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
220
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As we have already seen, the Biblical understanding of meditation is one of
deep thought. It can only be accomplished when the mind is actively involved.
David, a man after God’s own heart according to Acts 13:22,226 provides us
with an example of the kind of meditation that pleases the Lord. In Psalm
63:6 he says that his meditation will include remembrance, “[W]hen I
remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the
night;” This is a stark contrast to William Johnston’s teaching that
remembrance of God’s grace, His kindness, the passion of Christ, or the sins
from which He has saved us are distractions which can only hinder and
prevent proper meditation.
Elsewhere, David reaffirms the truth that Biblical meditation requires a mind
which is actively engaged and which is thinking upon not only God, but also
His revealed Word. Psalm 119227 says:
I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. … Open
my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. … Even
though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your
statutes. Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. …
Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on
your wondrous works. … I will never forget your precepts, for by them
you have given me life. … Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all
the day.
Additionally, Joshua exhorted the Israelites in Joshua 1:8 to continually
meditate upon God’s Word in order that they might know how to apply it to
their lives, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you
shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according
226
227
See footnote 217.
Psalm 119:15, 18, 23–24, 27, 93, and 97.
110
to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and
then you will have good success.”
Any form of meditation which is not centered on the Bible cannot be of God.
This is because the entire Bible directs us to Jesus and teaches us of God’s
love and of how to have a right relationship with God. Hebrews 10:7 says,
“Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of
me in the scroll of the book.’”
Never does God endorse contemplative prayer. When teaching His disciples to
pray, Jesus did not teach breathing exercises, mantras, and the beauty of
silence. Jesus taught them to speak. According to Luke 11:1–2, “Now Jesus
was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said
to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ And he said to
them, ‘When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom
come.’” (emphasis added) The very fact that Jesus taught that prayer involves
our talking to God negates every book and teaching that advocates entering
into the silence as an effective prayer method.
Some people try to counter this argument by referring to Psalm 46:10 which
says, “‘Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I
will be exalted in the earth!’” According to them, this verse supports the
contemplative prayer method of entering into the silence. However, this verse
is not advocating mental stillness. This verse is a reminder to God’s people of
Israel that He remains their refuge amid calamity. It looks ahead to the return
of Christ on the Day of the Lord and declares that God alone will accomplish
everything listed in Psalm 46. God’s people need do nothing because God will
have risen as their defender and protector.
To rend Psalm 46:10 from its immediate context and then present it as
evidence that Jesus’ teaching in Luke 11 was insufficient is disingenuous at
111
best. Jesus could not have been any more clear in Luke 11. Prayer is a
conversation with God. None of the sentences in Jesus’ model prayer repeat
themselves. In fact, Jesus taught against vain repetitions in Matthew 6:7,
“‘And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for
they think that they will be heard for their many words.’” After commanding
that His people not use vain repetitions, Jesus proceeded to offer the same
model prayer found in Luke 11. Matthew 6:9–13 says, “Pray then like this:
‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will
be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”
Body Prayers
Body prayers have taken the church by storm. According to a 2013 Patheos
article titled “The essential practice of Body Prayer,” “A body prayer is any
prayer that incorporates movement. It can be as simple as taking a walk with
the intention that your every step be a prayer.”228 As seemingly innocuous as
body prayers may be, many of the most common forms trace their origins to
Christian mystics who were attempting to induce a transcendental meditative
state of mind and to Occult practices.
1) Prayer Labyrinth
“Primarily jump-started by a UK-based Christian movement in alternative
spiritual expressions and by an influential San Francisco cathedral,
denominations around the world are embracing labyrinths as a viable part of
the ‘spiritual journey.’”229 The labyrinth is an ancient occult practice that uses
228
229
Blythe, “The essential practice.”
Teichrib. “The Labyrinth Journey.”
112
a circuitous path to facilitate meditation. According to St. Boniface Episcopal
Church’s explanation of their labyrinth in the courtyard:
The labyrinth is an ancient pattern found in many cultures around the
world. Labyrinth designs were found on pottery, tablets and tiles [that]
date as far back as 4000 years. Many patterns are based on spirals from
nature. In Native American culture it is called the Medicine Wheel and
Man in the Maze. The Celts described it as the Never Ending Circle. It is
also called the Kabala in mystical Judaism. One feature they all share is
that they have one path which winds in a circuitous way to the center.230
Likewise, according to the Glendale United Methodist Church’s website, “The
Labyrinth is an archetype, a divine imprint, found in all religious traditions in
various forms around the world. By walking a replica of the Chartres labyrinth,
laid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France around 1220, we are
rediscovering a long-forgotten mystical tradition that is insisting to be
reborn.”231
The labyrinth has always maintained a position of prominence among pagan
traditions. In ancient Greece, labyrinths were even imprinted onto the back of
coins whose faces bore the image of the Greek gods Zeus, Apollo, and
Athena.232 Today the labyrinth remains an important element in pagan rituals.
Websites devoted to witchcraft and goddess worship offer many items which
contain the image of the labyrinth. One such site exhorts its visitors to “use
these wonderful labyrinths for meditation, focus, spellwork, aid in healing …”233
Another site offers a Chartres Labyrinth pendant. According to the description,
“This Labyrinth is from the spectacular Chartres Cathedral, now replicated
around the world in backyards and public places everywhere. The Labyrinth
230
“About Labyrinths.”
“Guided Walk Through the Labyrinth.”
232 Alan Tattersall, “Researching The Labyrinth.”
233 Ibid.
231
113
connects us with the earth energies and helps us to ground and focus.” 234 Still
another site offers a pewter bowl with an image of the Chartres Labyrinth
engraved within it. The description of this bowl reads, “Chartres Labyrinth
ritual bowl can be used for incense, salt, water and scrying. This hand poured
and finished pewter bowl displays the Chartres Labyrinth ( the path of man ).
The image is often found laid out in stone at ancient sites world wide, and is
often used in ritual for an initiatory rite, or as a rite of passage into adult hood.
It is the symbol of Grounding and Awakening to the earth energy’s and [their]
good influence.”235
Notice that one of the recommended uses for the pewter bowl containing the
Charters Labyrinth engraving is scrying. Scrying is a decidedly pagan and
Occult practice. According to Scrying Mirror, “Scrying is the ancient act of
divination for the purpose of clairvoyance. It is usually achieved by
concentrating on or staring (gazing) at an object having a shiny surface until a
vision appears. Scrying is one of the earliest forms of Divination in recorded
history, appearing in China in 3000 BC, Egypt in 2500 BC, and Ancient
Greece around 2000BC.”236
Despite the pagan and mystical nature of the labyrinth, today’s Christians are
flocking to it. Never mind God’s command not to mimic the ways of the
pagans in Deuteronomy 18:9, “‘When you come into the land that the LORD
your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices
of those nations.’” Jill Geoffrion, a “certified labyrinth facilitator” and author of
such books as Christian Prayer and Labyrinths and Praying the Labyrinth,
writes:
234
Goddess Gift, “Chartres Labyrinth Pendant.”
Lilitu’s Books and Music, “Chalices, Goblets and Bowls.”
236 Scrying Mirror, “What is Scrying?”
235
114
We are currently in a period of historic labyrinth revival. Churches, retreat
centers and Christian camps are placing these prayer tools inside and
outside. Christians all over the world are installing labyrinths in their yards
and gardens. Many are using the labyrinths as a ministry tool, bringing
portable versions to prisons, national denominational conferences and
church group meetings. It is conservatively estimated that there are over
5,000 labyrinths in the United States alone. God is blessing the use of
the labyrinth; many are being drawn closer to Jesus, experiencing healing
and gaining spiritual clarity as they pray on its path.237, 238
Prayer labyrinths are particularly popular among youth ministries. Even Youth
Specialties—one of the largest evangelical youth ministry suppliers, serving
more than 80,000 youth workers239—has begun promoting contemplative
spirituality and prayer labyrinths.240, 241
237
Teichrib. “The Labyrinth Journey.”
“I must admit her pronouncement sounds appealing. But this particular statement by
Geoffrion doesn’t paint the whole picture. On her labyrinth prayer website, Geoffrion offers suggested
prayers for different labyrinth events. In dedicating a new labyrinth, she suggests that those in
attendance form a circle on the pattern and extend ‘the energy that is in our hearts and minds through
their hands towards the labyrinth.’ Following this exercise is a meditative time where each person
physically lays hands on the labyrinth and calls forth ‘the image of a loved one walking this labyrinth
and receiving what is needed.’ After more ‘imaging,’ she recommends this responsive prayer:
238
‘Community: We dedicate this labyrinth to spiritual awakening and reawakening.
One: With hearts extending in many directions, Let us pray Sacred Sustainer, Way to
wholeness, Creator of possibilities, Supporter of change, Forgiving Releaser, Freedom, Honesty,
Wisdom, Hope, Joy we thank You for the beautiful spiritual tool on which we are standing’
Geoffrion suggests other reflective meditations for the labyrinth, including short prayers from the
‘Christian Tradition,’ ‘Egyptian Tradition,’ ‘Hindu Tradition,’ and ‘Sufi Tradition.’”
(Teichrib, “The Labyrinth Journey.”)
239 McMahon, “Please Contemplate This.”
240 Yaconelli, “Spirituality and Youth Ministry.”
241
Perschon, “Contemplative Prayer Practices.”
115
The prayer labyrinth is not something that is embraced merely by the fringe
elements within Christianity. Neither is it something which is relegated to
ecumenical groups. This practice can be found within nearly every Christian
denomination. Even some Baptist churches have begun to employ the prayer
labyrinth.
In his 2006 article “Unwinding the Labyrinth: A Christian walk away from
God,” Brian Flynn described the prayer labyrinth as “essentially contemplative
prayer while walking.”242 It is a meditative tool which is geared toward those
who struggle to control their minds while remaining in a sitting position.
According to Veriditas, an organization “dedicated to inspiring personal and
planetary change and renewal through the labyrinth experience,”243 “Many
people have trouble with traditional meditation postures, which require sitting
still for long periods. Walking the labyrinth literally circumvents this, by creating
an easy method of focusing. Following a simple path, with many turns but no
decisions, allows the mind to concentrate in a meditative state.”244
Similar to contemplative prayer, a key element of the prayer labyrinth is the
quieting of the mind to induce a meditative state. A Canon of Grace Cathedral
and author of the book which was instrumental in launching The Labyrinth
Movement, Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual
Tool, Dr. Lauren Artress,245 says, “Labyrinths are currently being used worldwide as a way to quiet the mind, find balance, and encourage meditation,
insight and celebration. They are open to all people as a non-denominational,
cross-cultural tool of well-being.” She also writes, “There are many ways to
pray. And each world religion whether it be Christian, Jewish, Muslim,
Buddhist or Hindu has slightly different variations. However, there is a
common core that unites these traditions: The mind has to quiet, the heart
242
Flynn, “Unwinding the Labyrinth.”
Veriditas, “Home.”
244 Veriditas, “Frequently Asked Questions.”
245 Laruen Artress, “A Recognized Cultural Creative.”
243
116
hopefully opens and we can listen to and respond from the deepest inner most
part of ourselves that knows Wisdom.”246
According to the Grace Cathedral website, the labyrinth is “A profound
meditation tool, a metaphor for the spiritual path, a feminist Christian icon, a
symbol of Mary or even all Christianity, even perhaps an almost cult-like
centerpiece of a movement – the labyrinth is, most everyone can agree, a
powerful inspiration.” And according to their guidelines for the walk, in order
to experience this profound meditation tool, “Quiet your mind and become
aware of your breath.”
Given the prayer labyrinth’s parallels to contemplative prayer, it is not
surprising to discover that its goal is to facilitate the suppression of the
analytical mind and of sound doctrine in order to allow one’s intuition to
provide a pathway to God. According to a promotional website for the
Breemie Labyrinth in the United Kingdom, “The labyrinth is an archetypal
spiritual tool, found across many times and cultures. While a maze is a leftbrain, rational puzzle, the labyrinth involves the right side of the brain, and
helps us access our intuition, providing a portal to the Divine.”247
In short, the prayer labyrinth is a pursuit of God through ritual means. It is a
meditative tool used to suppress the analytical mind in pursuit of a spiritual
experience. Done correctly, practitioners of all faiths can successfully receive
such an experience.
246
247
117
Flynn, “Unwinding the Labyrinth.”
Teichrib, “The Labyrinth Journey.”
2) Breath Prayers
The original intent behind all forms of body prayers is to disengage the mind.
Breath prayers are no exception. This is why John Talbot writes in Come to
the Quiet: The Principles of Christian Meditation, “I began practicing
meditation, specifically breath prayer, once again.”248
Essentially, a breath prayer is a word or a short phrase which can be said
within a single breath. This is then used as a tool to empty the mind, as
Richard Foster notes in his book Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home,
“Commenting on breath prayers, Theophane the Recluse notes, ‘Thoughts
continue to jostle in your head like misquitos. To stop this jostling, you must
bind the mind with one thought, or the thought of One only. An aid to this is
a short prayer, which helps the mind to become simple and unified.’”249 In
other words, whenever the mind becomes active, the breath prayer is used to
“bind the mind.”
In his book Sadhana, former Director of the Sadhana Institute of Pastoral
Counseling Anthony De Mello teaches how breath prayers can be used to
attain the transcendental state of mind that we discussed in the section dealing
with contemplative prayer:
If you would attain to this state and draw close to this mystical darkness
and begin to communicate with God through this Heart that mystics
speak of, the first thing you may have to do is find some means for
silencing the mind. … All you can do is silence your discursive mind:
abstain from all thoughts and words while you are at prayer and leave the
Heart to develop by itself.
248
249
Talbot, Come to the Quiet, 8.
Foster, Prayer, 124.
118
To silence the mind is an extremely difficult task. How hard it is to keep
the mind from thinking, thinking, thinking, forever thinking, forever
producing thoughts in a never-ending stream. Our Hindu masters in India
have a saying: one thorn is removed by another. By this they mean that
you will be wise to use one thought to rid yourself of all other thoughts
that crowd into your mind. One thought, one image, one phrase or
sentence or word that your mind can be made to fasten on. For to
consciously attempt to keep the mind in a thoughtless state, in a void, is
to attempt the impossible. The mind must have something to occupy it.
Well, then, give it something with which to occupy itself—but just one
thing. An image of the Saviour that you gaze on lovingly and to which
you return each time you are distracted; an ejaculation that you keep
repeating ceaselessly to prevent the mind from wandering.250
A further means of encouraging this meditative state is to match the prayer
with the act of breathing. Part of the phrase is prayed as the individual inhales,
and the remainder as he exhales. John Talbot explains this in his book Come
to the Quiet: The Principles of Christian Meditation, using the popular Jesus
Prayer as an illustration:
One of the tools for praying ceaselessly is to unite the Jesus Prayer with
the breath. Hesychia continues, “attentiveness is the heart’s stillness,
unbroken by any thought. In this stillness, the heart breathes and invokes,
endlessly and without ceasing, only Jesus Christ.” … The Fathers are clear
about the method of uniting the Jesus Prayer with the breath. In their
work Directions to Hesychasts, Saints Calistas and Ignatius say, “Sitting
down in your cell, collect your mind, lead into the path of the breath
along which the air enters in, constrain it into the heart together with the
inhaled air, and keep it there…do not leave it silent and idle; instead give
250
119
De Mello, Sadhana, 32–33.
it the following prayer: ‘Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on
me.’”251
Despite the fact that breath prayers are believed to have originated among the
mystic Desert Fathers of Catholicism, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
promotes the practice of breath prayers. This is an influential organization
among Baptist churches. According to their website, “CBF consists of
individuals, approximately 1,800 affiliated churches, regional fellowships and
ministry partners seeking to be the presence of Christ. Based in Atlanta, CBF
partners with 15 theological schools, 18 autonomous state and regional
organizations and more than 150 ministry organizations worldwide, …”252 On
their website, they provide a detailed explanation of how to conduct breath
prayers. A portion of this reads:
Spend a few moments in silence. Relax. Imagine Jesus standing before
you, asking, “What do you want? What do you seek from me?” Respond
with the first thing that comes to your mind. Write this down. Next,
choose your favorite name for God (such as Father, Jesus, Lord, Abba,
Holy One, etc.) and write it down. Now write a short sentence prayer
that combines your favorite name for God with your answer to Jesus’
question. For example, “Lord Jesus, give me peace”; “Jesus, help me to
love”; “Father, give me courage.”
Ideally, your breath prayer should be 6–12 syllables. After you have
chosen or created a breath prayer, make a goal to remain in God’s
abiding presence as you begin saying your prayer. Ponder the meaning
and beauty of the words you are saying. Slowly say the first part of the
251
252
Talbot, Come to the Quiet, 174–176.
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, “About Us.”
120
prayer as you breathe in. Then slowly say the last part of the prayer as
you exhale. There is no hurry or rush.253
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s teaching on breath prayers is largely
adapted from Thomas Keating’s book Open Mind, Open Heart and the book
The Way of Pilgrimage: An Adventure in Spiritual Formation for the Next
Generation: Leader’s Guide by Sally Chambers, Gavin Richardson, and
Jonathan Norman. Recall that “spiritual formation” is another title for
“contemplative prayer.” Also recall that Thomas Keating is one of the chief
proponents of contemplative prayer. Clearly these breath prayers are closely
linked with contemplative prayer. Therefore, even if they have the appearance
of being harmless—or possibly beneficial—they are inherently linked with a
practice that is ultimately motivated by the spirit of antichrist. This may be
difficult for some people to discern. Fortunately, John Talbot, Richard Foster,
and Anthony De Mello have provided us with a glimpse into the darker nature
behind this method of praying.
The most famous of all breath prayers is known as the Jesus Prayer. In its
most ancient and simple form, it consists of repeating the name “Jesus” with
every breath. In another form, it consists of repeating, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son
of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.”254 According to Orthodox Wiki:
In the Orthodox tradition the prayer is said or prayed repeatedly, often
with the aid of a prayer rope. It may be accompanied by prostrations and
the sign of the cross. … Monastics often have long sessions praying this
prayer many hundreds of times each night as part of their discipline, and
through the guidance of an elder, its practitioner’s ultimate goal is to
“internalize” the prayer, so that one is praying unceasingly there-by
253
254
121
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, “Breath Prayer.”
Orthodox Wiki, “Jesus Prayer.”
accomplishing Saint Paul’s exhortation to the Thessalonians to “pray
without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17).255
Constant repetition is an integral aspect of this prayer method. Referencing
Tony Jones’ book The Sacred Way, David Cloud writes, “Ancient monastic
contemplative manuals suggest that this be repeated from 3,000 to 12,000
times a day.”256 Furthermore, in his book The Way of the Mystics, John
Talbot admits that another integral aspect of this prayer is that it not be
contemplated by the mind, “Trying to mentally grasp the meaning of each
word of the prayer as we pray it would be mentally confusing. This would be a
distraction from prayer. Rather, the full meaning of the Jesus Prayer is best
grasped when intuited on the level of spirit beyond the senses, the emotions,
or the mind.”257 John Talbot further expounds in Come to the Quiet, “[G]o
into the heights of contemplation beyond all concepts and knowledge. In this,
the words serve as a tool to keep one at the prayer in a disciplined way. But
to truly enter into the prayer of the heart, which is the purpose of the prayer,
one must travel beyond the knowable meaning of the words to a simple
intuition that includes, yet surpasses, their objective and subjective realities, into
reality itself.”258
We can be certain that the Apostle Paul did not intend his readers to
understand his teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to mean that they should
endeavor to reach a point where they continually repeat the same phrase
whether consciously or unconsciously. We know this because Jesus
commanded us in Matthew 6:7 to avoid mindless repetition, “‘And when you
pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that
they will be heard for their many words.”
255
Ibid.
Cloud, “Thomas Merton.”
257 John Talbot, The Way of the Mistics, 192, Source: Cloud, What Is the Emerging Church?
256
126.
258
Talbot, Come to the Quiet, 176.
122
Steady repetition of any word or phrase naturally numbs the mind. Thus, the
repetition of the same phrase twelve thousand times—or even two hundred
times—inevitably leads to mindless—or empty—repetition. Moreover, the
ultimate goal of internally repeating the prayer apart from the conscious mind
is by definition a mindless act. Regardless of one’s intentions, and regardless of
how spiritual it may appear, this practice is in direct contradiction to Scripture.
3) “Christian” Yoga
Jonas Masetti, a disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, writes in Satsanga
Online:
The word yoga is used in its origin to refer to the necessary preparation
for the study of the scriptures and ultimately self-knowledge. In the
Vedas, it generally appears ranking the word “mind”, making the
distinction between the scattered, emotionally disconnected or out of
control mind against the focused, integrated, and objective mind. Hence,
we have the word “yoga”, which is the set of activities that make this
integration with the mind, and the word “yogi” to describe one who
desires self-knowledge and adopts the lifestyle of the scriptures that
constitute these practices—yoga.259
This once foreign practice and worldview has now been assimilated by
Americans. Lesley Alderman comments in her book Alternative Medicine: Your
Guide to Stress Relief, Healing, Nutrition, and More, “Hard to believe now, but
yoga was once considered heretical, and even dangerous. As recently as a
century ago, yogis in America were viewed with suspicion; some were actually
thrown in jail. Today, though, most gyms offer it, many public schools teach it,
259
123
Masetti, “How many types of Yoga.”
and a growing number of doctors prescribe it . . . It may have taken 5,000
years, but yoga has arrived.”260
Even the Christian church has embraced yoga. Not only have numerous
churches endorsed the practice of yoga, but many even offer their own yoga
classes. Some forms of “Christian” yoga include: Yahweh Yoga, Holy Yoga,
Christ-Centered Yoga, New Day Yoga, Trinity Yoga, Yoga Devotion,
Grounded in Yoga, Be Still Yoga, Atoning Yoga, Extending Grace, etc.261 For
some, “Christian” yoga is a kind of body prayer. In a 2013 Patheos article
titled “The essential practice of Body Prayer,” Teresa Blythe writes, “The most
popular form of body prayer today is yoga. Combining breath and movement
with the intention of connecting with the source of life is a powerful form of
prayer.”262
Not every Christian who practices yoga does so as a form of body prayer.
Many participate merely for the health benefits. However, former occultist,
Johanna Michaelsen, writes in her book Lambs to the Slaughter, “You cannot
separate the exercises from the philosophy. … The movements themselves
become a form of meditation. The continued practice of the exercises will,
whether you … intend it or not, eventually influence you toward an
Eastern/mystical perspective. That is what it is meant to do! ... There is, by
definition, no such thing as ‘neutral’ Yoga.”263 This sentiment is echoed by
yoga teacher and authority, Beryl Birch, in the Yoga Journal article “Not All
Yoga Is Created Equal,” “Americans are usually drawn to yoga as a way to
keep fit at first, but the idea behind the physical practice of yoga is to
encourage a deeper mind-body awareness.”264
260
Lesley Alderman, Alternative Medicine: Your Guide to Stress Relief, Healing, Nutrition, and
More, (New York: TIME Books, 2012), 62, Source: Lawson, “New Print Booklet.”
261 Lawson, “New Print Booklet.”
262 Blythe, “The essential practice.”
263 Johanna Michaelsen, Like Lambs to the Slaughter, 93–95, Source: “YOGA – Just.”
264 Cook, “Not All Yoga.”
124
Any practice which merges physical stretches with spiritual well-being is
necessarily more than an exercise program. Of course, many Christian yoga
programs have capitalized on the spiritual elements of yoga. For example,
Outstretched states on its website:
This Christian approach to yoga simply allows us to combine these two
essential goals: becoming physically healthy and spiritually healthy. We
become more spiritually healthy through the yoga practice by calming our
minds and quieting ourselves to the point that we can tune out the
world’s frequency and tune into God’s frequency.
Being quiet with God allows us to create enough psychological and
spiritual space that God can truly create an inner sanctuary in us. Being
quiet enough to hear our Lord’s voice is not optional—it’s essential for
growth.265
Before continuing, it is important to note that the above statement is false.
Never in Scripture are we told to calm our minds for spiritual growth and
health. Quite the contrary! We are told to engage our minds in Scripture and
to learn sound doctrine for spiritual growth and health (1 Peter 2:2266).
Yoga was popularized in the West primarily by the British rock and roll group
The Beatles, and the Hippies’ pursuit of non-drug induced psychedelic
experiences.267 The use of yoga techniques to achieve transcendental
265
Outstretched, “Our Philosophy.”
1 Peter 2:2: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may
grow up into salvation—”
This pure spiritual milk is the pure basic doctrines of God’s Word. We know this because
spiritual milk is defined as the basic doctrines in Hebrews 5:12, “For though by this time you ought to
be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You
need milk, not solid food,”
267 Matrisciana, Yoga Uncoiled.
266
125
meditation intrigued an entire generation. Today, the spiritual and psychedelic
nature of yoga has been deemphasized. Instead, yoga is presented as a
medically-proven exercise and stress management program. Yoga Journal
reports:
As studies continue to reveal yoga’s many health benefits, this centuriesold Eastern philosophy is fast becoming the new fitness soul mate for
workout enthusiasts. Contemporary devotees range from high-powered
execs trying to keep hearts beating on a healthy note to image-conscious
Hollywood stars striving for sleek physiques. Even prominent athletes are
adding yoga to their training regime to develop balanced, injury-free
muscles and spines.268
According to a 2012 “Yoga in America” marketing study, “… 8.7 percent of
U.S. adults, or 20.4 million people, practice yoga. Of current nonpractitioners, 44.4 percent of Americans call themselves ‘aspirational yogis’—
people who are interested in trying yoga.”269 This is an increase of 29%
from the previous study in 2008. “In addition, practitioners spend $10.3
billion a year on yoga classes and products, including equipment, clothing,
vacations, and media. The previous estimate from the 2008 study was $5.7
billion.”270 Yoga is a big business in America, and it has produced countless
variations of the primary yoga techniques. In fact, to help decipher these
variations, YogaTrail offers a yoga style guide which lists forty-four different
types of yoga.271
268
Cook, “Not All Yoga.”
“Yoga in America Study 2012.”
270 Ibid.
271 Aerial Yoga, Acro yoga, Alignement, Ananda Yoga, Anusara Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Baptiste
Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Children’s Yoga, Core Strength Yoga, Corporate Yoga, Dru Yoga, Family Yoga,
Forrest Yoga, Flow, Gentles Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Hot Yoga, Integral Yoga, Ishta Yoga, Ivengar Yoga,
Jivamukti Yoga, Kripalu Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Meditation, Men’s Yoga, Mom and Baby Yoga, Mysore
Style, Nude Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Power Yoga, Purna Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Satyananda Yoga,
269
126
So what exactly is yoga? In his article “Yoga: Exercise or Religion?” Brad
Scott provides us with the definitions of notable East-Indian teachers:
First, we must consult Patanjali, the systemizer of yoga (ca. A.D. 150),
and other credible East-Indian teachers. Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras (I.2),
says, “Yoga is the restraining of the mind-stuff (chitta) from taking
various forms (vrittis).” Swami Yogananda, one of the most respected
gurus to arrive in America (1920), termed yoga the “science of mind
control.” “Yoga,” he wrote, “is a method for restraining the natural
turbulence of thoughts, which otherwise impartially prevents all men, of all
lands, from glimpsing their true nature of Spirit.” In the same book, he
further clarifies this definition: “yoga, ‘union,’ science of uniting the
individual soul with the Cosmic Spirit.” Swami Vivekananda, the first bona
fide swami to preach in the West (1893), expands still further on this
orthodox definition in his commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras: “The
yogi proposes to himself no less a task than to master the whole universe,
to control the whole of nature.”272
Regardless of its variations, yoga is a set of activities which facilitate union with
God “by means of various time-tested practices-of the finite ‘jiva’ (transitory
self) with the infinite ‘Atman’ or ‘Brahman’ (eternal Self).”273 Ananda Sangha
Worldwide describes it in this way, “Yoga means union with God, or, union of
the little, ego-self with the divine Self, the infinite Spirit.”274
Scaravelli Yoga, Senior Yoga, Shadow Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, Special Needs Yoga, Svaroopa Yoga,
Viniyoga, Vinyasa Flow, Women’s Yoga, Yin Yoga
(“Yoga Styles Guide.”)
272 Brad Scott, “Yoga: Exercise or Religion?” The Watchman Expositor 18, no. 2 (2001),
Source: Scott, “Yoga.”
273 Ibid.
274 “What is Yoga?”
127
Simply put, yoga is intended to be a religious practice. It was never intended to
be an exercise program. Jennifer Cook writes in Yoga Journal, “Initially, the
sole purpose of practicing yoga was to experience spiritual enlightenment.” 275
Additionally, author of Yoga: The Truth Behind the Posture, Dr. George
Alexander, has said, “There is no Hinduism without yoga, and there is no yoga
without Hinduism because yoga is a part and parcel of Hinduism. So you
cannot really separate the yoga from Hinduism.”276
When approaching the subject of yoga, it is imperative that one recognize its
nature. Yoga was designed to be a religious tool. All of the stretches and
breathing exercises are intended to channel one’s energies through the body’s
spiritual centers known as “chakras,” gradually pushing it further up the spine
until it reaches the seventh chakra which is believed to be located between the
eyes. When the energy is properly channeled into this seventh spiritual center,
the practitioner experiences enlightenment as his transitory self is united with
his eternal self. This process of channeling energy is also known as “kundalini
power.” Noted psychiatrist and co-founder of the Kundalini Clinic, Dr. Lee
Sannella, writes in his book The Kundalini Experience: Psychosis or
Transcendence:
According to this [tantric] Indian tradition, the kundalini is a type of
energy—a “power” or “force” (shakti)—that is held to rest in a dormant,
or potential, state in the human body. Its location is generally specified as
being at the base of the spine. When this energy is galvanized,
“awakened,” [which is done during Yoga], it rushes upward along the
central axis of the human body, or along the spinal, to the crown of the
head. Occasionally, it is thought to go even beyond the head. Upon
arriving there, the kundalini is said to give rise to the mystical state of
275
276
Cook, “Not All Yoga.”
Matrisciana, Yoga Uncoiled.
128
consciousness, which is indescribably blissful and in which all awareness of
duality [separation] ceases.277
Dave Fetcho, formerly of the Ananda Marga Yoga Society, has said, “Physical
yoga, according to its classical definitions, is inheritably and functionally
incapable of being separated from Eastern religious metaphysics. The Western
practitioner who attempts to do so is operating in ignorance and danger, from
the yogi's viewpoint, as well as from the Christian’s.”278 Furthermore,
professor Subhas Tiwari of the Hindu University of America writes in an article
titled “Yoga Renamed is Still Hindu: I challenge Attempts to Snatch Yoga from
its Roots:”
In the past few months I have received several calls from journalists around
the country seeking my views on the question of whether the newly
minted “Christian Yoga” is really yoga.
My response is, “The simple, immutable fact is that yoga originated from
the Vedic or Hindu culture. Its techniques were not adopted by Hinduism,
but originated from it.” … The effort to separate yoga from Hinduism must
be challenged because it runs counter to the fundamental principles upon
which yoga itself is premised. … Efforts to separate yoga from its spiritual
center reveal ignorance of the goal of yoga. … [I]t was intended by the
Vedic seers as an instrument which can lead one to apprehend the
Absolute, Ultimate Reality, called the Brahman Reality, or God. If this
attempt to co-opt yoga into their own tradition continues, in several
decades of incessantly spinning the untruth as truth through re-labelings
277
Lee Sannella, The Kundalini Experience: Psychosis or Transcendence, (Lower Lake: Integral
Publishing, 1987, Revised 1992), 25, Source: Lawson, “New Print Booklet Tract.”
278 Dave Fetcho, “Yoga,” Spiritual Counterfeits Project, (Berkley, 1978), quoted in
Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs (Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 1996), John Ankerberg and
John Weldon, 600–602, Source: Ankerberg, “Yoga – Theory and Practice.”
129
such as “Christian yoga,” who will know that yoga is—or was—part of
Hindu culture?279
There can be no uniting of Christianity with Hinduism’s yoga. 2 Corinthians
6:14 commands, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what
partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light
with darkness?” Also, 1 Corinthians 10:21 says, “You cannot drink the cup
of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the
Lord and the table of demons.” Furthermore, God forbids His people from
adapting pagan practices such as yoga in Deuteronomy 18:9, “‘When you
come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn
to follow the abominable practices of those nations.”
Much could be said regarding specific perils inherent in uniting Christianity
with the decidedly pagan practice of yoga. Simply adjusting the vocabulary
cannot sanctify a practice whose very essence is pagan spirituality and selfenlightenment.
Lectio Divina
An increasingly popular prayer method today comes from the Benedictine and
Cistercian monks and is known as “spiritual reading,” or “lectio divina.”280 “In
Benedictine tradition, spiritual reading is referred to by its Latin title, lectio
divina.”281 This title is Latin for “sacred reading.”282 According to Wikipedia:
279
Subhas, “Yoga Renamed.”
Keating, Intimacy with God, “Chapter 1: Origins of Centering Prayer.”
281 Thompson, Soul Feast, p. 24.
282 Lectio Divina Homepage, “Welcome.”
280
130
The roots of Scriptural reflection and interpretation go back to Origen in
the 3rd century, after whom St. Ambrose taught them to St. Augustine.
The monastic practice of Lectio Divina was first established in the 6th
century by Saint Benedict and was then formalized as a 4 step process
by the Carthusian monk, Guigo II, in the 12th century. In the 20th
century, the constitution Dei Verbum of Pope Paul VI recommended
Lectio Divina for the general public. Pope Benedict XVI emphasized the
importance of Lectio Divina in the 21st century.283
Using Guigo II’s four steps of lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio, in the
practice of lectio divina, the practitioner experiences God’s Word. The focus is
not on knowledge and understanding of the text. Rather, this prayer method is
a formula which is used to contact God. According to The Lectio Divina
Homepage, “Ordinarily lectio is confined to the slow perusal of sacred
Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments; it is undertaken not with the
intention of gaining information but of using the texts as an aide to contact the
living God.”284 Likewise, Friar Luke Dysinger explains that a “VERY
ANCIENT art, practiced at one time by all Christians, is the technique known
as lectio divina – a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures which
enables the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with
God.”285
Like every other form of contemplative mysticism, lectio divina endeavors to
bypass the rational brain in pursuit of establishing a direct connection and
experience with God. Lectio divina is merely another means of accomplishing
the unbiblical, and even anti-Christ, practice of contemplative prayer. In fact,
in his book Intimacy with God, Thomas Keating expresses concern that the
popular literature on lectio divina is obscuring this truth:
283
Wikipedia, “Lectio Divina.”
Lectio Divina Homepage, “Welcome.”
285 Wolf Tracks Blog, “Lectio Divina.”
284
131
The basic meditative practice of Benedictine and Cistercian monks is
Lectio Divina, a way of reading the Scripture with a deepening prayerful
attentiveness that moves toward contemplation. I had noticed over the
years that the practice itself had become obscured because of the
plethora of reading material now available under the general heading of
Lectio Divina. The original practice had expanded from the attentive
reading of Scripture or commentaries by the early Fathers of the Church
to include spiritual reading in the broadest sense of the word. In the
process, the emphasis had shifted from deepening one’s prayer to
intellectual stimulation. Meanwhile, prayer itself had become so rigidly
dichotomized—discursive meditation, affective prayer, and the
multiplication of devout aspirations—that the inherent tendency of Lectio
Divina to move toward contemplation had been lost. Contemplation was
regarded as an exceptional gift, not as the normal flowering of Lectio
Divina and Christian prayer.286
In an article titled “The Classical Monastic Practice of Lectio Divina,” Thomas
Keating describes Guigo II’s four steps and explains the true nature of Lectio
Divina:
The classical practice of Lectio Divina can be divided into two forms: the
monastic and the scholastic. The scholastic form divides the process into
stages or steps in a hierarchical pattern. Following the reading of a
passage of scripture, the first step was to allow a phrase or word to arise
out of the text and to focus on it. This was called Lectio. The second was
the reflective part, pondering upon the words of the sacred text, and was
called meditatio “meditation.” The spontaneous movement of the will in
response to these reflections was called oratio, “affective prayer.” And as
these reflections and acts of will simplified, one moved from time to time
to a state of resting in the presence of God, and that was called
286
Keating, Intimacy with God, “Chapter 1: Origins of Centering Prayer.”
132
contemplatio “contemplation.” This way of doing Lectio Divina developed
in the Middle Ages at the beginning of the scholastic period with its
tendency to compartmentalize the spiritual life and to rely on rational
analysis in theology to the virtual exclusion of personal experience.
The monastic form of Lectio Divina is a more ancient method and was
practiced by the Mothers and Fathers of the Desert and later in
monasteries both East and West. It is oriented more toward contemplative
prayer than the scholastic form, especially when the latter developed into
what we call today discursive meditation, conceived as moving from one
thought to another or as one stage in a series of steps. … In the monastic
way of doing Lectio Divina we listen to how God is addressing us in a
particular text of scripture. From this perspective there are no stages,
ladders or steps in Lectio Divina, but rather there are four moments along
the circumference of a circle. All the moments of the circle are joined to
each other in a horizontal and interrelated pattern as well as to the
center, which is the Spirit of God speaking to us through the text and in
our hearts. To pay attention to any one of the four “moments” is to be in
direct relationship to all the others. In this perspective, one may begin
one’s prayer at any “moment” along the circle, as well as moving easily
from one “moment” to another, according to the inspiration of the
Spirit.287
Today there is much confusion regarding the nature and intent of lectio divina.
As Thomas Keating laments, this has given rise to many variations and
reinventions of the practice. To help distinguish between the true method of
lectio divina and its aberrations, Thomas Keating provides some points of
clarification in his article titled “The Classical Monastic Practice of Lectio
Divina”:
287
133
Keating, “The Classical Monastic Practice.”
The classical practice of Lectio Divina—the prayerful reading of the Bible,
the book Christians believe to be divinely inspired—is being rediscovered
and renewed in our time. At the same time a number of ways of
practicing it have sprung up leading to a certain confusion regarding its
relationship to the distinct practice of Centering Prayer. A few distinctions
may be helpful.
First of all, we need to distinguish Lectio Divina from Bible study, which is
very useful at another time and provides a solid conceptual background
for the practice of Lectio Divina.
Secondly, Lectio Divina is not the same as reading the scriptures for the
purpose of private edification, encouragement, or getting acquainted with
the many-sided aspects of revelation, and especially with Jesus Christ,
the Incarnate Word of God. Lectio Divina is rather a way or formula for
furthering these objectives.
Thirdly, Lectio Divina is not the same as spiritual reading, which moves
beyond the exclusive reading of sacred scripture to include other spiritual
books such as the lives and writings of the saints.
Finally, Lectio Divina is not the same as praying the scriptures in
common, a contemporary development that is sometimes identified with
Lectio Divina. … Praying the scriptures in common might well be
regarded as a kind of “Liturgy of Lectio Divina” or even better, as a kind
of shared “Liturgy of the Word.” With some variations, it usually goes like
this: A passage is read out loud three or four times followed by two or
three minutes of silence. After each reading the participants apply
themselves inwardly to the text in specified ways. After the first reading,
they become aware of a word or phrase. After the second they reflect
about the meaning or significance of the text. After the third reading,
134
they respond in spontaneous prayer. After the fourth reading, they simply
rest in God's presence and after a period of silence, those who wish are
invited to do a brief faith sharing on the text. In some cases there is a
brief sharing after the third or fourth reading and period of silence.288
Much of what is practiced today among Evangelical, Baptist, and Reformed
Christians is what Thomas Keating refers to as “Liturgy of Lectio Divina.” It is
not true to the nature and purpose of lectio divina. Instead, it appears to be an
attempt to redeem the practice. Nevertheless, this “redeemed” form of lectio
divina is still unbiblical. At the very least, it is an effort to compel God to speak
to us on our own terms.
Mysticism is deceptive. At its heart, mysticism denies the authority of Scripture.
As such, it belongs to the spirit of antichrist. It teaches that truth is relative
because truth can be based upon subjective personal experiences. Once again,
“mysticism” according to Merriam-Webster.com is, “The belief that direct
knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through
subjective experience (as intuition or insight).”289
Too many Christians today are being encouraged to seek God’s truth and
guidance for their lives through mystical experiences instead of through the
Bible and Biblical prayer. I like how Pastor John MacArthur expresses the
thinking behind this mystical movement within Christianity:
[T]he Bible itself is not objectively the Word of God, but it becomes the
Word of God when it speaks to me individually. In neo-orthodoxy, that
same subjectivism is imposed on all the doctrines of historic Christianity.
Familiar terms are used, but are redefined or employed in a way that is
purposely vague—not to convey objective meaning, but to communicate a
288
289
135
Ibid.
subjective symbolism. After all, any ‘truth’ theological terms convey is
unique to the person who exercises faith. What the Bible means becomes
unimportant. What it means to me is the relevant issue. All of this
resoundingly echoes Kierkegaard's concept of “truth that is true for
me.”290
By removing the Bible as our objective standard for truth, it becomes little
more than other mystical guide-books such as The Kabala, the Vedas, and the
Tipitaka. In his book Velvet Elvis, founder and former pastor of Mars Hill Bible
Church Rob Bell writes, “Is the Bible the best that God can do? With God
being so massive and awe-inspiring and full of truth, why is his book capable
of so much confusion? Why did God do it this way? Where does one go in
trying to make sense of what the Bible even is, let alone what it says?”291
Despite the opinion of Rob Bell and other Christian mystics, the truth of the
Bible is not subjective or open to personal interpretation. The Apostle Peter
teaches in 2 Peter 1:15–21 that the truth of God’s Word trumps all
personal experience because it is free from personal interpretation:
And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able
at any time to recall these things. For we did not follow cleverly devised
myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he
received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne
to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am
well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for
we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic
word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as
to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning
290
291
MacArthur, Reckless Faith, 26.
Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith.
136
star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of
Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy
was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they
were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Peter references his personal experience with God. While on the Mount of
Transfiguration, he saw Jesus transformed into His future glory (Mark 9:1–
13292). He also witnessed Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. Furthermore,
he heard the voice of God declare Jesus to be His Son. Nevertheless, the
Apostle Peter does not present these personal experiences as evidence of the
gospel and doctrines that he has been preaching. Instead, Peter declares that
there is a more sure reason to believe these things. That reason is prophecy. It
is the speaking forth of God’s Word which has today been compiled into what
we know as “the Bible.” The Apostle Peter teaches that the Bible is a more
certain foundation for determining truth because it came directly from God,
and it bypassed human interpretation in its transmission.
Personal experience is always subject to personal interpretation. Any method
which emphasizes spiritual growth or enlightenment through combining
292 Mark 9:1–13: And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” And after
six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by
themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as
no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were
talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three
tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say, for they
were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my
beloved Son; listen to him.” And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but
Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they
had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say
that first Elijah must come?” And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things. And
how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt?
But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”
137
Scripture with personal and subjective interpretation is unbiblical. Similarly, any
method which emphasizes spiritual growth or enlightenment through bypassing
Scripture in search of a personal and subjective experience is unbiblical. Each
of these mystical methods addressed above are unbiblical because they elevate
personal experience above the objective truth of Scripture.
2 Timothy 3:16293 teaches that the Bible contains all the truth that we need
to correctly serve and honor God. It is sufficient. We do not need to combine
Scripture with some mystical method in order to properly receive and
understand what we are reading. Nowhere in Scripture are we told to pursue
the principles of contemplative spirituality. Instead, the Bible is the standard for
truth by which men will be judged (John 12:48294). God will not judge men
based upon any revelation received outside of Scripture. There is only one
revelation that we are expected to know and follow, and this revelation is the
Bible.
Never does God encourage His people to stop thinking. On the contrary,
Solomon warns us to guard our hearts in Proverbs 4:23.295 We cannot do
this when we disengage our minds and stop discerning between truth and
error. The way that we guard our heart includes remembering the Bible’s
instructions according to Prov. 4:20–23, and 26, “My son, be attentive to
my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your
sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow
293
2 Timothy 3:16–17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, All Scripture is breathed out by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of
God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
294 John 12:48: The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the
word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
295 Proverbs 4:23: Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
138
the springs of life. … Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be
sure.”
Rather than tell us to place a cloud of unknowing and forgetting over our
minds, we are told to remember God’s instructions and to ponder them in
relation to our lives. We are to test every spirit, according to 1 John 4:1, to
determine whether it is from God or from Satan, “Beloved, do not believe
every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many
false prophets have gone out into the world.” We cannot test a spirit if we are
not thinking. God does not desire that we disengage our minds in order that
we might better commune with Him. This is why the Apostle Paul teaches in
1 Corinthians 14:14–15 that we should pray and worship with our spirits
and with our minds, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is
unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my
mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.”
God is not pleased by worship which does not engage the mind.
Jesus never taught contemplative prayer. Jesus never taught that prayer is
seeking silence before God. Rather, when Jesus taught His disciples how to
pray, He began by saying, “When you pray, say …” Prayer is us talking to
God. According to Jesus’ example, we talk to God in the same way that we
talk to anyone else (Luke 11:1–4296).
When we want to hear God talk to us, we turn to the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16–
17297). The Holy Spirit teaches us by bringing to our remembrance what
296
Luke 11:1–4: Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his
disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them,
“When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our
daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead
us not into temptation.’”
297 See footnote 293.
139
Christ has already said (John 14:26298). Note that this is different from what
lectio divina teaches. Lectio divina teaches that God speaks to us as we read
His Word; however, careful study of this practice reveals that the intent behind
this teaching is that God speaks new revelation to us as we read His Word.
Lectio divina is a false teaching. God does not give us new revelation; God
reminds us and teaches us to understand the truths and principles already
revealed in His Word.
Jesus never taught contemplative prayer. He did not teach breath prayers and
mantras. At its core, mantras and breath prayers—such as the Jesus Prayer—
teach prayer through repetition. However, Jesus taught us to avoid vain
repetitions in Matthew 6:7,299 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as
the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much
speaking.” (KJV). The heathens practiced mantra prayers. Jesus taught that
we should not copy the heathen method of praying.
God commands His people not to learn the way of the heathen. Jeremiah
10:2300 says, “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen,”
298
299 Matthew 6:7 (ESV): “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles
do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.”
The author chose to use the KJV translation of this passage for the sake of clarity in
establishing his point. The KJV translation does not change the meaning of this passage because the
Gentiles were heathens. They were foreigners who did not know the God of Israel and who practiced
mantra prayers. As such, they were, indeed, heathens who repeated (heaped) empty (vain) phrases
upon one another in their prayers.
300 Jeremiah 10:2 (ESV): Thus says the LORD: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be
dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them,”
The author chose to use the KJV translation of this passage for the sake of clarity in
establishing his point. The KJV use of the term “heathens” is an acceptable translation of the word
“nations” in this verse because the foreign (Gentile) nations did not follow after the God of Israel. As
such, they were, indeed, heathens. God’s command was intended to prevent Israel from learning the
spiritual depravities of these foreign nations.
140
(KJV). Earlier we considered Tilden Edwards’ statement that, “This mystical
stream [contemplative prayer] is the Western bridge to Far Eastern
spirituality”301 Tilden Edwards is admitting that mysticism—or contemplative
spirituality—is the church learning the ways of the heathen. Ray Yungen
observes, “A Christian is supposed to evangelize those from Eastern religions,
present them with the gospel rather than assimilate their mystical insights.
That’s what the great commission was all about. That is what the crux of our
opposition is all about. As a movement, those who practice contemplative
prayer, on the whole, tend to develop spiritual kinship to Eastern religions,
especially Buddhism.”302
Through analogy, the Apostle Paul teaches in Galatians 5:9303 that a little bit
of sin which is allowed to enter the church unresisted will, over time, corrupt
the entire church. It doesn’t take a lot of error to produce dramatic changes
and results. As an illustration, rat poison is 99.995% good food for a rat.
Only .005% is poison, yet it is enough to kill the rat. Bible teachers who
teach a lot of good truth but introduce Christians to these pagan doctrines and
to authors and teachers who promote these pagan doctrines are introducing
leaven into the church. At the very least, these false teachings need to be
refuted. Romans 16:17 teaches that we are to mark those who cause
divisions and controversy by denying sound doctrine and introducing leaven
into the church, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause
divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been
taught; avoid them.”
Nothing good comes from replacing truth with error. The error will ultimately
negate and undermine the effects of the truth that is being taught. We are not
told to accept the good stuff that they teach and reject the error. We are to
301
“Thomas Merton – Contemplative.”
303 Galatians 5:9: A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
302
141
completely avoid them. This is, in part, to protect ourselves because repetitive
exposure to error leads to a de-sensitization and ultimately can lead to
acceptance of that error. This avoidance is also in part to protect those who
are not discerning enough to distinguish the truth from the error.
Separating from a fellow Christian does not mean that we become his enemy.
Everything we do must be done in love (1 Cor. 16:14304). We must be
careful that our refutation of the teaching does not slide into personal attacks
against the individual. Too often Christians bolster their arguments by
maligning the individual. Provided this individual is a fellow Christian, when we
do this we are furthering the cause of the Devil who acts as the accuser of the
brethren (Rev. 12:9–10305).
Jesus provides us with an example of how we ought to respond to religious
false teaching in Matthew 23 and Luke 12:1.306 In these passages, Jesus
identified the false teachers. Likewise, we need to call out groups and
movements—which may include the names of those who are influential within
these movements—so that people know specifically what to avoid. After all,
how are the sheep to avoid wolves if they don’t know who the wolves are?
Also, Jesus identified their false teaching. We too need to be able to identify
what these individuals are teaching and show from Scripture why it is false.
Jesus called for the people to separate themselves from the works of the false
teachers. Sometimes separation is necessary. Additionally, Jesus was filled with
passion. We should be passionate about the truth. False teaching should upset
304
1 Corinthians 16:14: Let all that you do be done in love.
Revelation 12:9–10: And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is
angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation
and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser
of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.”
306 Luke 12:1: In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered
together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”
305
142
us. It is not unloving to be passionate and forceful when taking a stand against
false teaching provided that it is done in a spirit of love and accuracy. When a
child is about to step into the street in front of an oncoming car, we are very
passionate and forceful in our warning to the child. This is an act of love.
Refuting error and promoting the truth is also an act of protective love.
Protecting people from spiritual danger is an act of love. Our forcefulness and
confidence is derived from the authority and certainty of Scripture.
In America, we have access to countless Christian resources. If a resource or a
teacher introduces false teaching or controversy, then it is easy for us to look
for another resource or teacher. In our efforts to learn, we do not need to use
a resource which requires that we sift through the good and the bad when
there are so many wonderful resources available to us. Why should we walk a
controversial line when there is an abundance of sound resources available?
When it comes to our souls, it is better to be safe than to be forever sorry.
Eternal rewards are at stake.
The water in a toilet will satisfy the thirst of a thirsty man, but that is not
sufficient reason for him to drink from the toilet bowl when there is a water
faucet next to the toilet. Christians should have nothing to do with the
contemplative spirituality movement. At its core, this movement is nothing less
than mysticism which denies the supremacy of Scripture in pursuit of extrabiblical revelations from God. This is the spirit of antichrist. This is the uniting
of Eastern pagan spirituality with Christianity. Nowhere in Scripture can we
find teachings or principles which encourage us to embrace contemplative
spirituality. In fact, Scripture directly refutes the core elements of the
contemplative spirituality movement.
We should be very careful about exposing ourselves to mystical teachings
through reading books by popular Christian leaders who slip these mystical
doctrines in between sound teaching. Remember that, “A little leaven leavens
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the whole lump” (Gal. 5:9). For most Christians, it is probably best that we
completely avoid the books and teachings of those who strongly adhere to and
advocate these mystical practices. A suggested starting list of individuals to
avoid should include:



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
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Thomas Merton
Richard Foster
Henri Nouwen
George Fox
Thomas Kelly
Soren Kierkegaard
Jurgen Moltmann
Carl Jung
Eugene Peterson
Ruth Haley Barton
Brennan Manning
Sue Monk Kidd
St. John of the Cross
Ignatius of Loyola
The Desert Fathers
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Chapter 6
The Paranormal – Part 1
America is obsessed with the paranormal. Certainly this is not a shocking
revelation. One need only take a cursory glance at popular media to realize
that America crossed over the line of obsession a long ways back. Since the
beginning of the twenty-first century, about 400 movies have been made
about werewolves, vampires, and zombies.307 This does not include movies
307
The following is not an exhaustive list: How to Make a Monster, Red Riding Hood,
Werewolf Hunter: The Legend of Romasantra, Wild Country, Dog Soliders, Big Bad Wolf, Teen Wolf,
The Wolf Man, Bloodz vs. Wolvez, Chimera, Cursed, Wilderness, The Feeding, The Wolves of Kromer,
Tomb of the Werewolf, DarkWolf, Lycan Colony, Lycanthropy, Werewolf: The Devil’s Hound, Never
Cry Werewolf, War Wolves, Thor: Hammer of the Gods, The Beast of Bray Road, Necroville, Skin
walkers, Werewolf Women of the SS, Wolves of Wall Street, Big Wolf on Campus, Underworld,
Underworld: Evolution, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Ginger Snaps, Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed,
Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning, Blood Moon, Blood and Chocolate, Blade, Blade 2, Blade: Trinity,
Blade: House of Chthon, Not Like Others, Twilight, Twilight: New Moon, Twilight: Eclipse, Twilight:
Breaking Dawn Part 1, Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2, Vampires Suck, Van Helsing, Cirque du
Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, Salem’s Lot, The Forsaken, Vampires: Los Muertos, Frostbite,
Translymania, Vampire Clan, Vampires Turning, Out for Blood, Gothic Vampires from Hell, Life
Blood, Vampires Anonymous, Zombies Anonymous, Carmilla, the Lesbian Vampire, Ninjas vs.
Vampires, Bloodsucking Redneck Vampires, Cowboys and Vampires, Vegas Vampires, Vampires in
Vegas, Feast of the Vampires, Lord of the Vampires, Serena, a Vampire’s Tale, The Vampire’s Dance,
The Vampires of Bloody Island, The Vampires of Zanzibar, 30 Days of Night, Mona the Vampire,
Against the Dark, Blood: The Last Vampire, BloodRayne, BloodRayne: Deliverance, Coming Out, Day
Watch, Daybreakers, Dracula 2000, Dracula 3000, Dracula II Ascention, Dracula III Legacy, Dracula:
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THE PARANORMAL – PART 1
Pages from a Virgin’s Diary, From Dusk Till Dawn III: The Hangman’s Daughter, Hellsing Ultimate,
Lesbian Vampire Killers, Let the Right One In, Lost Boys II: The Tribe, Lust for Dracula, Moon Child,
Perfect Creature, Queen of the Damned, Samurai Vampire Bikers from Hell, Shadow of the Vampire,
The Hamiltons, Dark Shadows, The Last Sect, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Little
Vampire, The Thirst, The Twins Effect, Trouble Every Day, Vampire Academy, Vampire Blvd.,
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Wannabe, Priest, 28 Days Later,
28 Weeks Later, A Day in the Country, Aaah! Zombies!!, Acne, After Sundown, After the Day, All
Souls Day, American Zombie, Automaton Transfusion, Autumn, Aversion, Awaken the Dead, The
Beast Within, Beneath Still Waters, Beneath the Surface, Beyond Re-animator, Biker Zombies,
Biohazard, 4D Executer, Biophage, Black Sheep, Blood Moon Rising, Boy Eats Girl, Brain Blockers,
Brain Dead, Brainiac, Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament, Broken Springs, Carriers, Children of the Living
Dead, Choking Hazard, City of Rott, Colin, Corpses, Corpses Are Forever, Creatures from the Pink
Lagoon, Curse of the Maya, Dance of the Dead, Dark Floors, Dark Forest, Dawn of the Dead, Dawn
of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, Day of the Dead 2 Contagium, Days of Darkness, Dead and
Breakfast, Dead Air, Dead and Deader, Dead Clowns, Dead Country, Dead Creatures, Dead Fury, Dead
Heist, Dead Life, Dead Meat, Dead Men Walking, Dead Moon Rising, Dead Noon, Dead Snow, Dead
Summer, Deader Country, Dead Hunter, Deadlands: The Rising, Deadlands 2: Trapped, Death Valley:
The Revenge of Bloody Bill, Deep River: The Island, Demon Slaughter, Diary of the Dead, Die and Let
Live, Die-ner (Get It?), Doghouse, Doom, Doomed, Dorm of the Dead, Eat Me!, Edges of Darkness,
Electric Zombies, Enter…Zombie King, Evil, Evil – In the Time of Heroes, Exhumed, Fading of the
Cries, Feeding the Masses, Fido, Flesh for the Beast, Flesh Freaks, Flick, Forest of the Damned,
Frankenhood, Gangs of the Dead, George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead, Ghost Lake, Grave
Mistake, Gravestoned, Graveyard, Graveyard Alive, Grindhouse, Headhunter, Hide and Creep,
Homecoming, Hood of the Living Dead, Hot Wax Zombies on Wheels, House of the Damned, House
of the Dead, House of the Dead 2, Husk, I Am Legend, I Am Omega, I Sell the Dead, I’ll See You in
My Dreams, Infection, Insane in the Brain, Johnny Sunshine, Junk, Kill Them and Eat Them, L.A.
Zombie, Land of the Dead, Last of the Living, Livelihood, Lynch Mob, Machine Head, Meat Market,
Meat Market 2, Monsters Gone Wild, Mortuary, Motocross Zombies from Hell, Mulva, Mulva 2: Kill
Teen Ape!, Mutant Vampire Zombies from the ‘Hood!, Mutants, My Dead Girlfriend, Necropolis
Awakened, Necroville, Night of the Bums, Night of the Jackals, Night of the Living Dead 3D, Night of
the Living Dead: Reanimated, Nightmare Alley, Ninjas vs. Zombies, OC Babes and the Slasher of
Zombietown, OneChanbara, Open Grave, Otto; or Up with Dead People, Pathogen, Plaguers, Plane
Dead, Planet Terror, Platoon of the Dead, Pontypool, Pot Zombies, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken
Dead, Quarantine, Raiders of the Damned, Rammbock, REC, Red Lips: Eat the Living, Reefer
Madness, Resident Evil, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Resident Evil: Extinction, Resident Evil: Afterlife,
Resident Evil: Retribution, Retardead, Return in Red, Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis, Return of
the Living Dead: Rave from the Grave, Ring of Darkness, Romeo and Juliet vs. the Living Dead, Route
666, Sabbath, SARS Wars, Severed: Forest of the Dead, Shadow Walkers, Shadows of the Dead,
Shaolin vs. Evil Dead, Shaun of the Dead, Sick and the Dead, Skin Crawl, Slither, Stacy, Stiff Odds,
Stone’s War, Storm of the Dead, Swamp Zombies, Tales from the Grave, The Convent, The Crazies,
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about cryptoids, aliens, ghosts, etc. Likewise, each season, a host of new
paranormal reality shows and dramas are introduced on television.308
This fascination with the paranormal is nothing new. Popular media has been
ruled by the paranormal for decades. Most recently, zombies have reigned as
the undisputed king of popular media. Much of the current fascination with
zombies can be attributed to the success of the award-winning309 television
series The Walking Dead. Introduced in 2010, the show has broken various
The Dead, The Dead Hate the Living!, The Dead Outside, The Dead Season, The Death of Seasons,
The Forever Dead, The Ghouls, The Hell Patrol, The Horrible Dr. Bones, The Lost Tape: Andy’s
Terrifying Last Days Revealed, The Mad, The Quick and the Undead, The Rage, The Returned, The
Revenant, The Rising Dead, The Roost, The Ruining, The Signal, The Skeleton Key 2: 667 Neighbor
of the Beast, The South Will Rise Again, The Stink of Flesh, The Veil, The Wickeds, The Worst Horror
Movie Ever Made, The Zombie Apocalypse, The Zombie Diaries, The Zombie King, They Came Back,
Tokyo Zombie, Town Creek, Trailer Park Terror, Trick ‘r Treat, The Zombie Movie, Undead, Undead
or Alive, Urban Evil, Vampires vs. Zombies, Versus, Warriors of Terra, Wild Zero, Woke Up Dead,
World War Z, Xombie: Dead on Arrival, Yesterday, Zibahkhana, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombie Brigade,
Zombie Campout, Zombie Chronicles, Zombie Dearest, Zombie Farm, Zombie Girl: The Movie, Zombie
Honeymoon, Zombie Massacre, Zombie Nation, Zombie Night, Zombie Planet, Zombie Strippers,
Zombie Town, Zombie Wars, Zombie Women of Satan, Zombiegeddon, Zombieland, Zombies, Zombies
Gone Wild, Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!, Zombiez, Zone of the Dead.
308 Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State, Celebrity Ghost Stories, A Haunting,
Ghost Hunters International, My Ghost Story, Haunted Highway, Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files,
Most Haunted, The Dead Files, Unsolved Mysteries, Paranormal Challenge, Scariest Places on Earth,
Paranormal Witness, Ghost Hunters Academy, Psychic Kids, Haunted Collector, Supernatural,
Sightings, Celebrity Paranormal Project, Haunted Mine, Destination Truth, The Haunted, Haunted
Collector, My Ghost Story, Ghost Stories, Ancient Aliens, Is It Real?, Haunted Hotels, Ghost Lab,
Monster Quest, Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories, Weird Travels, Dead Famous, Lost Tapes,
Nostradamus Effect, Mystery Quest, Most Terrifying Places in America, The Vampire Diaries, Sightings,
Derek Acorah’s Ghost Towns, Paranormal Cops, MTV’s Fear, Fortean TV, Mysterious Journeys,
Finding Bigfoot, Beast Hunter, Rescue Mediums, Beast Legends, The Othersiders, Paraprobe, Psi
Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, True Blood, Being Human, Fringe, Fifth Quadrant, Sanctuary,
The Secret Circle, Grimm, Teen Wolf, Haven, Legend of the Seeker, Ghost Wisperer, Beauty and the
Beast, Lost Girl, Kyle XY, Reaper, Blood Ties, Hex, Medium, Eastwick, Demons, Poltergeist: The
Legacy, Witchblade, American Gothic, Drop Dead Diva, Afterlife, So Weird, Point Pleasant, The
Witches of East End.
309 IMDb, “The Walking Dead.”
147
records for a television series. During its season 3 premier, the show boasted
10.9 million viewers, making it the largest telecast for any drama series in
basic cable history.310 This record was shattered during the season 3 finale
which attracted 12.4 million viewers.311
Many ideas have been postulated for why zombies resonate with so many
people. According to a 2013 Wall Street Journal article titled “The Lessons
of Zombie-Mania:”
Zombies thrive in popular culture during times of recession, epidemic and
general unhappiness. Traditional threats to U.S. security may have waned,
but nontraditional threats assault us constantly. Concerns about terrorism
have not abated since 9/11, and cyberattacks have now emerged as a
new anxiety. Drug-resistant pandemics have been a staple of local news
hysteria since the H1N1 virus swept the globe in 2009. Scientists
continue to warn about the dangers that climate change poses to our
planet. And if the financial crisis taught us anything, it is that contagion is
endemic to the global market system. Zombies are the perfect metaphor
for these threats. As with pandemics and financial crises, they are not
open to negotiation. As with terrorism in all its forms, even a small
outbreak has the potential to wreak massive carnage.312
Similarly, a 2013 Esquire article titled “Why Zombies are Everywhere Now”
reports:
They are a metaphor for Communism or for National Socialism. They
are a metaphor for consumerism. They’re a way of describing terrorism.
They’re a way of talking about AIDS. My personal favorite is the idea that
310
Goldberg, “‘Walking Dead’ Season 3 Premiere Shatters Basic Cable Ratings Record.”
Goldberg, “‘Walking Dead’ Season 3 Finale Sets More Ratings Records.”
312 Drezner, “The Lessons of Zombie-Mania.”
311
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zombies represent the sexuality of teenage boys, while vampires represent
the sexuality of teenage girls. There are so many theories about the
popularity of zombies that this magazine found, and interviewed, a scholar
of zombie culture.313
Regardless of why, the rotting corpses of the undead hold great appeal to
Americans. In 2011, 24/7 Wall St. estimated that the zombie culture is
worth at least $5,740,000,000 in America. Surprising as this sum may be,
they believe this figure to be “grossly undercalculated.”314
Prior to zombies, vampires ruled the world of popular media with television
shows such as The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and Angel. The Twilight
series was a key catalyst for America’s obsession with vampires. In 2003,
Stephenie Meyer received a “very vivid dream” about a human woman and a
vampire who was in love with her but thirsted for her blood. She began writing
a story whose main characters would be named Edward and Bella. On her
official website, Stephenie Meyer recounts:
All this time, Bella and Edward were, quite literally, voices in my head.
They simply wouldn’t shut up. I’d stay up as late as I could stand trying to
get all the stuff in my mind typed out, and then crawl, exhausted, into bed
(my baby still wasn’t sleeping through the night, yet) only to have
another conversation start in my head. I hated to lose anything by
forgetting, so I’d get up and head back down to the computer. Eventually,
I got a pen and notebook for beside my bed to jot notes down so I could
get some freakin’ sleep.315
This supernatural revelation became the Twilight series.
313
Marche, “Why Zombies Are Everywhere Now.”
Jon Ogg, “Zombies Worth Over $5 Billion to Economy,” 24/7 Wall St., Oct. 25, 2011,
http://247wallst.com/investing/2011/10/25/zombies-worth-over-5-billion-to-economy/.
315 Official Website of Stephenie Meyer, “The Story Behind Twilight.”
314
149
Despite the fact that Stephenie Meyer had very little writing experience when
she began crafting the first book in the series, Twilight became an immediate
success. Publishing translation rights have been sold in nearly 50 countries,
and well over 100 million copies have been sold worldwide.316 After the
release of Eclipse, the first three books in the Twilight series spent 143
consecutive weeks on the New York Times best seller list.317 After the release
of Breaking Dawn, the four books of the series claimed the top four spots on
the USA Today’s year-end best-seller list in 2008 and 2009.318 Stephenie
Meyer was the first author to achieve this feat. The series also won the 2009
Kid’s Choice Award for favorite book.319
The influence of the Twilight series is phenomenal. In 2011, Search Engine
Journal reported, “It might also shock you to know that there are about 8
times more Twilight fans than Jesus Christ fans on Facebook, and there are 4
million more Twilight fans than Metallica fans, who have been influencing the
world for 30 years.”320 According to Statistic Brain, the Twilight series has
generated an estimated $5,736,100,000 through its books, DVDs, and
merchandising sales as of November 27, 2013.321
Prior to vampires, witches and wizards reigned over popular media with
television shows such as Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Charmed, and movies
such as Hocus Pocus, The Craft, and Practical Magic. In 1990 an unknown
author named J.K. Rowling began to create the Harry Potter series after
meeting a young wizard named Harry Potter through her mind’s eye. In a
316
Little Brown Book Group, “Twilight Saga.”
Grossman, “Is a Mormon,” 49.
318 Minzesheimer, “Sellers basked.” Also: Anthony DeBarros, “Best-Selling Books.”
319 Jocelyn Vena, “Jonas Brothers And ‘Twilight’ Rule Kids’ Choice Awards,” MTV News,
March 28, 2009, http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1608034/jonas-brothers-rule-kidschoice-awards.jhtml.
320 Fach, Melissa, “#Twilight Saga.”
321 Statistic Brain, “Total Twilight Franchise Sales.”
317
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2000 Reuters article titled “Harry Potter ‘Strolled into My Head,’” J.K.
Rowling recalls, “The character of Harry just strolled into my head… I really did
feel he was someone who walked up and introduced himself in my mind’s eye.
… [T]he idea for Harry just came. He appeared in my mind’s eye, very fully
formed.”322 Likewise, in 1999, J.K. Rowling told the Boston Globe, “I really
don’t know where the idea came from. It came into my mind when I was on a
train to London. Harry as a character came fully formed, as did the idea for his
sidekicks, the characters of Ron and Hermione. It started with Harry, then all
these characters and situations came flooding into my head.”323
After being rejected by twelve publishing houses, Bloomsbury Publishing agreed
to print her book. It became the best-selling book series in history,324 having
sold nearly 500 million copies worldwide, and it has been translated into more
than 70 languages.325
The extent and impact of the Harry Potter series cannot be overstated. By
2001, according to a survey by The New York Times, almost 60% of
children in the United States had read at least one Harry Potter novel.326 In
2003, Time Magazine reported that “… J.K. Rowling has mesmerized an
entire generation of kids …”327 And the great demand for Harry Potter books
prompted the New York Times to create a separate best-seller list for
children’s literature in 2000.328
322
J.K. Rowling, “Harry Potter ‘Strolled into My Head,’” Reuters, July 17, 2000, Source: Joe
Schimmel, “Twilight, Harry Potter.”
323 Loer, “All about Harry Potter.”
324 Farr, “JK Rowling.”
325 Hypable, “Harry Potter.”
326 T. Race, “Most wanted: Drilling down/Harry Potter; Rowling's readers are ready for film,”
New York Times, April 9, 2001, 10, Source: Knapp, “In Defense of Harry Potter.”
327 Grossman, “Is a Mormon,” 50.
328 Smith, “The Times Plans a Children’s Best-Seller List.”
151
When Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released, 9,000 FedEx trucks
were used solely for the delivery of the book. It also set a new record when an
astonishing 3.8 million copies were produced in the U.S. and the U.K. during
its initial printing.329 This record was quickly broken by Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix with 8.5 million copies printed.330 Again, Harry Potter
broke his own record with 10.5 million copies printed of Harry Potter and the
Half-Blood Prince. For more than half a year before the book was released, it
claimed the top rank on Amazon’s best-seller list. 331 Finally, Harry Potter and
the Deathly Hallows crushed the series’ initial record with 12 million copies in
its initial printing.332 Two months before the July 21, 2007 release of this
final book in the series, Barnes and Noble announced that it had already
broken its pre-order record with over 500,000 books pre-ordered through
its site. Likewise, Amazon had broken its pre-order record with 485,000
books pre-ordered.333 And on its day of release, it set a new record for the
fastest selling book of fiction in 24 hours, selling 8.3 million copies in the
United States alone.334
Eight Harry Potter movies have been created, and in 2010, a Harry Potter
theme park was opened in Walt Disney’s Universal Studios called The
Wizarding World of Harry Potter. According to Statistic Brain, the Harry Potter
franchise is estimated to have earned $24,751,000,000 through its books,
DVDs, and merchandising sales as of January 1, 2014.335
It appears as if witches are set to once again dominate popular media. Already
we are seeing indicators of such a shift with a number of recently released
329
Fierman, “Wild About Harry.”
“Harry Potter hits midnight frenzy.”
331 Ibid.
332 “Record print run for final Potter.”
333 Wearden, “Pre-orders spell record sales.”
334 Lynch, “World Book Day.” Also: Rich, “Record First-Day Sales.”
335 “Total Harry Potter Franchise Revenue.”
330
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movies and television shows featuring witches in key roles, such as OZ: The
Great and Powerful, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, The Lords of Salem,
Beautiful Creatures, Maleficent, Sleepy Hollow, The Originals, Salem, American
Horror Story: Coven, and Witches of East End. Other movies, such as The
Last Witch Hunter, The Witches, A Discovery of Witches: All Souls Trilogy,
The Alchemyst, Into the Woods, and Seventh Son are expected in the near
future.
Paranormal series such as The Walking Dead, Twilight, and Harry Potter have
governed the imaginations of Americans for decades. The widespread influence
of paranormal entertainment is further evidenced by how many Christians have
incorporated these themes into their Bible studies. The Harry Potter Bible
Study by Jarred Moore, The Gospel According to Harry Potter by Connie
Neal, and Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger can be found in
Christian bookstores, along with The Gospel According to Twilight: Women,
Sex, and God by Elaine A. Heath and Parables from Twilight: A Bible Study by
Diane Schantin.
However, paranormal activities are not limited to the world of entertainment. A
growing number of Americans believe in the reality of paranormal activity.
According to a 2005 Gallup Poll, 3 in 4 people believe in the
paranormal.336 Likewise, authors of Paranormal America and Baylor Sociology
professors, Christopher Bader and Carson Mencken, conducted a survey in
2010 which concluded that 70–80% of Americans believe in the
paranormal.337 Of course, this might be little more than a return to mankind’s
roots. Prior to the rise of modernism, paranormal activity was taken for
granted. History is replete with stories of the supernatural. Nearly every culture
shares similar stories of werewolves, vampires, zombies, ghosts, witches, giants,
extra-terrestrial visitors, unidentified flying objects, and non-human creatures
336
337
153
Moore, “Three in Four Americans.”
“Survey reveals.”
that abduct humans. The pervasiveness and consistency of these stories among
all cultures, all walks of life, all religious backgrounds, and at all points in
history indicates that these stories are rooted in some degree of truth.
Until recently, the Christian church accepted incubi,338 succubae,339 satyrs,340
fauns,341 unidentified aerial crafts, and demon manifestations as an established
fact. In his book City of God, St. Augustine writes:
There is, too, a very general rumor, which many have verified by their
own experience, or which trustworthy persons who have heard the
experience of others corroborate, that sylvans and fauns, who are
commonly called “incubi,” had often made wicked assaults upon women,
and satisfied their lust upon them; and that certain devils, called Duses by
the Gauls, are constantly attempting and effecting this impurity is so
generally affirmed, that it were impudent to deny it.342
Franciscan theologian, exorcist, and advisor to the Supreme Sacred
Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition in Rome, Ludovico Maria
Sinistrari, also writes, “Subject to correction by our Holy Mother Church, and
as a mere expression of private opinion, I say that the Incubus, when having
intercourse with women, begets the human foetus from his own seed.” 343
Additionally, in his work Demonality, Sinistrari recounts in all seriousness a tale
338
An incubus is a spirit that seeks sexual intercourse with women.
A succubus is a spirit that seeks sexual intercourse with men.
340 A satyr is a typically an ugly dwarf-like man who possesses various characteristics of a goat.
Often his ears, tail, and sexual organs are of a goat. He is known for his sexual prowess.
341 A faun is a man who is a goat from the waist down and human from the waist up with the
exception of goat horns on his head.
342 Aurelius Augustine, The City of God, Source: Schaff, Nicene, 303.
343 Ludovico Maria Sinistrari, (Whitefish: Kessinger, 2003), 27, Source: Putnam, ExoVaticana, 127.
339
154
of a nun having sexual intercourse with an Incubus within the confines of the
Monastery.344
One of the more well-known examples of the Christian church accepting
paranormal entities as a fact of life is the story of St. Anthony’s journey to visit
St. Paul the Hermit. St. Anthony lived around 300 A.D. and is considered to
be the founder of Christian monasticism. According to a translation of “The
344
“In a Monastery (I mention neither its name nor that of the town where it lies, so as not to
recall to memory a past scandal), there was a Nun, who, about trifles usual with women and especially
with nuns, had quarreled with one of her mates who occupied a cell adjoining to hers. Quick at
observing all the doings of her enemy, this neighbor noticed, several days in succession, that instead of
walking with her companions in the garden after dinner she retired to her cell, where she locked
herself in. Anxious to know what she could be doing there all that time, the inquisitive Nun betook
herself also to her cell. Soon she heard a sound, as of two voices conversing in subdued tones, which
she could easily do, since the two cells were divided but by a slight partition. [There she heard] a
peculiar friction, the cracking of a bed, groans and sighs, her curiosity was raised to the highest pitch,
and she redoubled her attention in order to ascertain who was in the cell. But having three times
running, seen no other nun come out but her rival, she suspected that a man had been secretly
introduced and was kept hidden there. She went and reported the thing to the Abbess, who, after
holding counsel with discreet persons, resolved upon hearing the sounds and observing the indications
that had been denounced her, so as to avoid any precipitate or inconsiderate act. In consequence, the
Abbess and her confidents repaired to the cell of the spy, and heard the voices and other noises that
had been described. An inquiry was set on foot to make sure whether any of the Nuns could be shut in
with the other one; and the result being in the negative, the Abbess and her attendants went to the
door of the closed cell, and knocked repeatedly, but to no purpose: the Nun neither answered, nor
opened. The Abbess threatened to have the door broken in, and even ordered a convert to force it
with a crow-bar. The Nun then opened her door: a search was made and no one found. Being asked
with whom she had been talking, and the why and wherefore of the bed cracking, of the sighs, etc.,
she denied everything.
But, matters going on just the same as before, the rival Nun, become more attentive and more
inquisitive than ever, contrived to bore a hole through the partition, so as to be able to see what was
going on inside the cell; and what should she see but an elegant youth lying with the Nun, and the
sight of whom she took care to let the others enjoy by the same means. The charge was soon brought
before the bishop: the guilty Nun endeavored still to deny all; but, threatened with torture, she
confessed having had an intimacy with an Incubus.”
(Ludovico Maria Sinistrari, Demoniality: Or Incubi and Succubi (Isidore Liseux, 1879), 235–245,
Source: Putnam, Exo-Vaticana, 125–126.)
155
Life of Paulus the First Hermit” in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second
Series:
All at once he [St. Anthony] beholds a creature of mingled shape, half
horse half man, called by the poets Hippocentaur. At the sight of this he
arms himself by making on his forehead the sign of salvation, and then
exclaims, Holloa! Where in these parts is a servant of God living? The
monster after gnashing out some kind of outlandish utterance, in words
broken rather than spoken through his bristling lips, at length finds a
friendly mode of communication, and extending his right hand points out
the way desired. Then with swift flight he crosses the spreading plain and
vanishes from the sight of his wondering companion. But whether the
devil took this shape to terrify him, or whether it be that the desert which
is known to abound in monstrous animals engenders that kind of creature
also, we cannot decide.
8. Antony was amazed, and thinking over what he had seen went on his
way. Before long in a small rocky valley shut in on all sides he sees a
mannikin with hooked snout, horned forehead, and extremities like goats’
feet. When he saw this, Antony like a good soldier seized the shield of
faith and the helmet of hope: the creature none the less began to offer to
him the fruit of the palm-trees to support him on his journey and as it
were pledges of peace. Antony perceiving this stopped and asked who he
was. The answer he received from him was this: I am a mortal being and
one of those inhabitants of the desert whom the Gentiles deluded by
various forms of error worship under the names of Fauns, Satyrs, and
Incubi. I am sent to represent my tribe. We pray you in our behalf to
entreat the favour of your Lord and ours, who, we have learned, came
once to save the world, and “whose sound has gone forth into all the
earth.” As he uttered such words as these, the aged traveller’s cheeks
streamed with tears, the marks of his deep feeling, which he shed in the
156
fullness of his joy. He rejoiced over the Glory of Christ and the
destruction of Satan, and marvelling all the while that he could understand
the Satyr’s language, and striking the ground with his staff, he said, Woe
to you, Alexandria, who instead of God worshippest monsters! Woe to
you, harlot city, into which have flowed together the demons of the whole
world! What will you say now? Beasts speak of Christ, and you instead
of God worship monsters. He had not finished speaking when, as if on
wings, the wild creature fled away. Let no one scruple to believe this
incident; its truth is supported by what took place when Constantine was
on the throne, a matter of which the whole world was witness. For a man
of that kind was brought alive to Alexandria and shown as a wonderful
sight to the people. Afterwards his lifeless body, to prevent its decay
through the summer heat, was preserved in salt and brought to Antioch
that the Emperor might see it.345
It could readily be argued that the above accounts are exaggerations,
fabrications, or the consequence of ignorance. Whether these accounts are
entirely accurate is not the issue. The point is that these accounts reveal that
there has long been an acceptance of the reality of the paranormal even
among some of society’s most well respected institutions and scholarly
minds.346
345
St. Jerome, Jerome: The Principal Works of St. Jerome, Source: Schaff, Nicene, 300–
301.
346
This acceptance has never been universal. Agobard, who was the Archbishop of Lyons,
France and “one of the most celebrated and learned prelates of the ninth century,” writes, “We have,
however, seen and heard many men plunged in such great stupidity, sunk in such depths of folly, as to
believe that there is a certain region, which they call Magonia, whence ships sail in the clouds, in order
to carry back to that region those fruits of the earth which are destroyed by hail and tempests; the
sailors paying rewards to the storm wizards and themselves receiving corn and other produce. Out of
the number of those whose blind folly was deep enough to allow them to believe these things possible,
I saw several exhibiting in a certain concourse of people, four persons in bonds—three men and a
woman who they said had fallen from these same ships; after keeping them for some days in captivity
they had brought them before the assembled multitude, as we have said, in our presence to be stoned.
But truth prevailed.”
157
(Agobard, Liber de Grandine et Tonitruis, Chapter XI, Source: Vallee, Passport to Magonia, 9–10.)
Agobard’s understanding of this incident differed greatly from the philosophers, or scientists,
of his day, “In vain does a Philosopher bring to light the falsity of the chimeras people have fabricated,
and present manifest proofs to the contrary. No matter what his experience, nor how sound his
argument and reasoning, let but a man with a doctor’s hood come along and write them down as
false—experience and demonstration count for naught and it is henceforward beyond the power of
Truth to re-establish her empire. People would rather believe in a doctor’s hood than in their own
eyes. There has been in your native France a memorable proof of this popular mania.
The famous Cabalist Zedechias, in the reign of your Pepin, took it into his head to convince the world
that the Elements are inhabited by those people whose nature I have just described to you. The
expedient of which he bethought himself was to advise the Sylphs to show themselves in the Air to
everybody: They did so sumptuously. These beings were seen in the Air in human form, sometimes in
battle array marching in good order, halting under arms, or encamped beneath magnificent tents.
Sometimes on wonderfully constructed aerial ships, whose flying squadrons roved at the will of the
Zephyrs.
What happened? Do you suppose that ignorant age would so much as reason as to the nature of
these marvelous spectacles? The people straightaway believed that sorcerers had taken possession of
the Air for the purpose of raising tempests and bringing hail upon their crops. The learned theologians
and jurists were soon of the same opinion as the masses. The Emperor believed it as well; and this
ridiculous chimera went so far that the wise Charlemagne, and after him Louis the Debonair, imposed
grievous penalties upon as these supposed Tyrants of the Air. You may see an account of this in the
first chapter of the Capitularies of these two Emperors.
The Sylphs seeing the populace, the pedants and even the crowned heads thus alarmed against them,
determined to dissipate the bad opinion people had of their innocent fleet by carrying off men from
every locality and showing them their beautiful women, their Republic and their manner of government,
and then setting them down again on earth in divers parts of the world. They carried out their plan.
The people who saw these men as they were descending came running from every direction,
convinced beforehand that they were sorcerers who had separated from their companions in order to
come and scatter poisons on the fruit and in the springs. Carried away by the frenzy with which such
fancies inspired them, they hurried these innocents off to the torture. The great number of them who
were put to death by fire and water throughout the kingdom is incredible.
One day, among other instances, it chanced at Lyons that three men and a woman were seen
descending from these aerial ships. The entire city gathered about them, crying out they were
magicians and were sent by Grimaldus, Duke of Beneventum, Charlemagne’s enemy, to destroy the
French harvests. In vain the four innocents sought to vindicate themselves by saying that they were
their own country-folk, and had been carried away a short time since by miraculous men who had
158
Society is returning to a belief in the paranormal. Constant indoctrination that
anything which defies the scientific method must not exist combined with
media criticism and ridicule of the paranormal had convinced most people that
anything supernatural must be a misconception, a fraud, or the figment of
one’s imagination. However, modern science, the preponderance of eye
witness and video testimony, and a rejection of secular humanism in favor of
cosmic humanism and post-modernism have changed this thinking.
Today, more people in England believe in the existence of UFOs than believe
in the existence of God. According to a 2012 survey by Opinion Matters,
52% of UK adults believe UFO evidence has been covered up because
widespread knowledge of their existence would threaten government stability,
whereas only 44% believe in the existence of God.347 According to a 2012
National Geographic poll, 36% of Americans believe UFOs exist. 48% are
unsure whether UFOs exist. Only 17% do not believe in the existence of
UFOs.348 Similarly, a 1996 Gallup Poll and a 2002 Roper Poll reports that
45–48% of Americans believe UFOs have visited earth, and 12% say they
shown them unheard-of marvels, and had desired to give them an account of what they had seen. The
frenzied populace paid no heed to their defence, and were on the point of casting them into the fire,
when the worthy Agobard, Bishop of Lyons, who having been a monk in that city had acquired
considerable authority there, came running at the noise, and having heard the accusations of the
people and the defence of the accused, gravely pronounced that both one and the other were false.
That is was not true that these men had fallen from the sky, and that what they said they had seen
there was impossible.
The people believed what their good father Agobard said rather than their own eyes, were pacified, set
at liberty the four Ambassadors of the Sylphs, and received with wonder the book which Agobard
wrote to confirm the judgment which he had pronounced. Thus the testimony of these four witnesses
was rendered vain.”
(A.H. Clough, Introduction to Plutarch’s “Lives,” Source: Vallee, Passport to Magonia, 11–12.)
347 Speigel, “More Believe In Space Aliens.”
348 Wrenn, “More than a third of Americans.”
159
have seen a UFO.349, 350, 351 This equates to approximately 32 million
Americans in 1996 who claim to have personally witnessed a UFO.352
Millions of Americans believe they have encountered the paranormal. Millions
believe they have witnessed a UFO, or that they have been abducted by aliens,
and untold numbers believe that they have witnessed a ghost or a cryptoid
such as Bigfoot, Hell Hounds, Thunderbirds, etc. This has generated such great
interest that paranormal investigators, crypto-zoologists, and alien abduction
psychologists are now recognized vocational fields. Even so, the typical
Christian reaction to stories of the paranormal is one of trivialization, dismissal,
or mockery.
Christians are wise to not immediately accept every account they hear.
However, it is wrong to dismiss an individual’s testimony before critically
evaluating it. Not every strange story deserves to be dismissed. The majority of
paranormal experiences have natural and reasonable explanations. However,
there are some accounts which defy natural explanations. It is easy to laugh
away these accounts, but good research and investigation into these accounts
will often reveal more substance and evidence than we might have initially
given credit. Often such investigation will reveal that there are solid reasons
which lead people to believe in some otherwise incredible things. This is not to
say that they are correct in their conclusions. Nevertheless, some of these
paranormal activities do seem to have a genuine reality about them. As for
349
Newport, “What If Government.”
“Sci Fi Channel / Roper UFOs Poll 2002: Highlights,” The Sci Fi Channel,
http://www.syfy.com/ufo/roper/02.html, Source: UFO Evidence, “Sci Fi Channel.”
351
Additional
public
opinion
polls
can
be
found
at
http://www.ufoevidence.org/topics/publicopinionpolls.htm.
352 Population Estimates Program, Population Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, “Historical
National Population Estimates: July 1, 1900 to July 1, 1999,” April 11, 2000, Revised June 28,
2000, Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, “Historical National.”
350
160
which ones, and to what extent, such consideration stretches far beyond the
scope of this book.
To illustrate how some commonly ridiculed and rejected experiences may have
more credibility than we might initially accept, consider the UFO phenomenon.
This is a field which has been disgraced by frequent hoaxes, outlandish claims,
pseudo-science, and conspiracy theorists. Moreover, most unidentified flying
objects have natural and reasonable explanations. Nevertheless, there are a
significant number of credible accounts which cannot be explained and which
cannot be ignored. An honest evaluation of the UFO phenomenon has led
many skeptics to a point where they are compelled to acknowledge that
something unexplainable is occurring.
In a 1964 paper on “Exobiology” presented at the First Annual Rocky
Mountain Bioengineering Symposium held at the United States Air Force
Academy, Dr. Frank Salisbury writes, “I must admit that any favorable mention
of the flying saucers by a scientist amounts to extreme heresy and places the
one making the statement in danger of excommunication by the scientific
theocracy. Nevertheless, in recent years I have investigated the story of the
unidentified flying object (UFO), and I am no longer able to dismiss the idea
lightly.”353
In a memorandum to the Military Director of the Scientific Advisory Board,
former United States Air Force Director of Information, Major General E.B.
LeBailey, writes, “However, many of the [UFO] reports that cannot be
explained have come from intelligent and technically well qualified individuals
whose integrity cannot be doubted. In addition, the reports received officially by
the Air Force include only a fraction of the spectacular reports which are
publicized by many private UFO organizations.”354 Likewise, Dr. Richard
353
354
161
“Re: Credible Statements.”
Condon, “Scientific Study.”
Haines was a NASA Senior Research Scientist at Ames Research Center and
the Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science where he worked on
the International Space Station. He was also a psychologist specializing in pilot
and astronaut “human factors” research for the Ames NASA Research Center
in California where he retired as Chief of the Space Human Factors Office. In
his book, Observing UFOs, Dr. Richard Haines writes, “We’re not dealing with
mental projections or hallucinations on the part of the witness but with a real
physical phenomenon.”355
The widespread extent of UFO sightings has led to a number of official
investigations. These include:356
1) The Interplanetary Phenomenon Unit (1940s and 1950s). This
was conducted by the Army.
2) Project Bluebook (1947 – 1969). This was previously known as
“Project Sign” and “Project Grudge.” It was conducted by the Air
Force.
3) Project Twinkle (1948 – 1951). This was conducted by the U.S.
Army and Air Force.
4) Ghost Rockets (1946 – 1947). This was conducted by the U.S.,
Swedish, U.K., and Greek militaries.
5) The CIA Office of Scientific Investigation Study (1952 – 1953)
6) The CIA Robertson Panel (1953)
7) Project Bluebook Special Report Number 14 (1951 –1954). This
was conducted by the Battelle Memorial Institute.
8) The Brookings Report (1960). This was conducted by NASA.
9) The public Condon Committees (1966 – 1968)
10) The private internal RAND Corporation Study (1968)
11) The private Sturrock Panel (1998)
355
356
“Credible Statements.”
Wikipedia, “Unidentified Flying Object.”
162
Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that many
agencies collected—and still collect—information on UFOs. These include the
Defense Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Central
Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and intelligence agencies of the
Army and Navy.357
In addition to the official investigations, there have been a number of civilian
investigations into the UFO phenomenon. These include:358
1) National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP,
1956 – 1980)
2) Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO, 1952 – 1988)
3) Mutual UFO Network (MUFON, 1969 – today)
4) Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS, 1973 – today)
Many more investigations have been conducted by foreign nations. The very
fact that this phenomenon has sparked so many government and civilian
investigations around the world testifies to the reality of the phenomenon. This
is not to say that there is no natural explanation for these sightings. In fact,
these studies conclude that most UFO sightings do have reasonable terrestrial
explanations. However, about 5 – 20% of the thousands of investigated
incidents remain unexplained.359
Recent UFO sightings have become so extreme and prolific that even the
mainstream media has been compelled to report sightings as legitimate
news.360 This is a far cry from their former position of ridicule, mockery, and
misrepresentation of the subject. An anchor for Fox News, when reporting on
357
Ibid.
Ibid.
359 Ibid.
360 terr547, “UFO Mainstream Media Coverage.” Also: UFOShock1, “Best of UFO News
Clips.” Also: TheUFOsightings, “BREAKING NEWS.”
358
163
a UFO sighting in China, even declared on the air, “Alright, that’s a UFO if
I’ve ever seen one. That’s undeniable.”361
Many credible government officials, military personnel, astronauts, and
scientists have gone on the record to declare the reality of the UFO
phenomenon. United States astronauts and Russian cosmonauts who have
affirmed the existence of UFOs include: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Edgar
Mitchell, Colonel L. Gordon Cooper, John Glen, Eugene Cernan, Scott
Carpenter, Dr. Jerry Linenger, Major Robert White, James Lovell, James
McDivitt, Dr. Brian O’Leary, Joseph Walker, Donald Slayton, Al Worden,
Major General Pavel Popovich, Major General Vladimir Kovalyonok, Victor
Afanasyev, Yevegni Khrunov.362 United States presidents who have affirmed
the existence of UFOs include: John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, Dwight D.
Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and
George H. W. Bush Sr.363 These are not tin foil hat individuals.364 These are
men who have earned the credibility and respect of the world. In the case of
the astronauts and cosmonauts, they have undergone rigorous mental and
physical examination. At what point do we acknowledge that there is substance
and credibility to at least some of the UFO reports?
Pacific Commander of Intelligence in WWII and first Director of the CIA, ViceAdmiral R.H. Hillenkoetter affirmed the reality of the UFO phenomenon.
361
terr547, “UFO Mainstream Media Coverage.”
Bible UFO Connection, “Government Witnesses: Astronauts.”
363 Bible UFO Connection, “Government Witnesses: United States.”
364 “The term tin foil hat is generally used as a derogatory remark toward someone advancing a
conspiracy theory or other story that is considered unbelievable. It appears to have been coined to
describe people who claimed UFO sightings or claimed to have been previously abducted by aliens. It
was suggested that such a person might wear a hat made of tin foil in order to keep aliens from
intercepting his or her brainwaves. There are some people who actually construct such hats, however,
believing they will protect against mind control programs, radio waves, and electromagnetic radiation
(EMR).”
(wiseGEEK, “What is a Tin Foil Hat?”)
362
164
According to a 1960 New York Times article titled “Air Force Order On
‘Saucers’ Cited,” “Admiral Hillenkoetter said that ‘behind the scenes, highranking Air Force officers are soberly concerned about the UFO’s.’ ‘But
through official secrecy and ridicule, many citizens are led to believe the
unknown flying objects are nonsense,’ the retired admiral said. He charged that
‘to hide the facts, the Air Force has silenced its personnel’ through the
issuance of a regulation.365 Similarly, founder of the CIA’s psychological
warfare staff, former special assistant to the secretary of the Air Force, advisor
to NATO, and board member of NICAP, Colonel Joseph Bryan III said, “These
UFOs are interplanetary devices systematically observing the earth, either
manned or under remote control, or both.” He also said, “Information on
UFOs, including sighting reports, has been and is still being officially
withheld.”366
In a 1960 letter to Major Donald Keyhoe, U.S. Representative and Former
Speaker of the House, John McCormack, writes, “Some three years ago,
(1957), as chairman of the House Select Committee on Outer Space out of
which came the recently established NASA, my Select Committee held
executive sessions on the matter of ‘Unidentified Flying Objects.’ We could not
get much information at that time, although it was pretty well established by
some in our minds that there were some objects flying around in space that
were unexplainable.”367 In 1965, he said, “I feel that the Air Force has not
been giving out all the available information on the Unidentified Flying Objects.
You cannot disregard so many unimpeachable sources.”368
365
“Air Force Order on ‘Saucers’ Cited.”
Note: This article contains a typo in The New York Times’ database. “Force” is spelled as “forge.” If
searching The New York Times database, the article is titled “Air Forge order on ‘Saucers’ Cited;
Pamphlet by the Inspector General Called Objects a ‘Serious Business.’”
(http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50A12F9345D1A728DDDA10A94DA405B
808AF1D3)
366 UFO Evidence, “Military UFO Quotes.”
367 Bible UFO Connection, “United States Legislature.”
368 Ibid.
165
The world’s former leading aerodynamicist and mathematical physicist, Dr.
Maurice Biot once said, “The least improbable explanation is that these things
[UFO’s] are artificial and controlled … my opinion for some time has been that
they have an extraterrestrial origin.”369 Similarly former Deputy Public
Relations Director at NASA and former U.S. Air Force Spokesman for Project
Bluebook, Albert Chop said, “I’ve been convinced for a long time that the
flying saucers are real and interplanetary. In other words we are being watched
by beings from outer space.”370
We may not agree with the conclusions of these individuals, but we certainly
cannot doubt their credentials as reliable witnesses. A 1957 New York Times
article titled “High Speed Objects Reported In The Sky” reports:
A retired rear admiral, once head of the Navy’s guided-missile program,
said today reliable reports indicated that “there are objects coming into our
atmosphere at very high speeds.” Admiral Delmer S. Fahrney told a news
conference that, “no agency in this country or Russia is able to duplicate
at this time the speeds and accelerations which radars and observers
indicate these flying objects are able to achieve.” There are signs that “an
intelligence” directs such objects “because of the way they fly,” the admiral
went on.371
Likewise, Dr. H. Marshall Chadwell, former Assistant Director of the CIA’s
Office of Scientific Intelligence, in a memo to the Director of the CIA, General
Walter Smith, writes, “Sightings of unexplained objects at great altitude and
traveling at high speeds in the vicinity of major US defense installations are of
369
370
UFO Evidence, “Scientists on UFOs.”
True Magazine, January 1965, Source: UFO Evidence, “UFO Quotes by Government
Officials.”
371
“High Speed Objects Reported In The Sky.”
166
such nature that they are not attributable to natural phenomena or known
types of aerial vehicles.”372
The number of credible witnesses and sources who have affirmed the reality of
unidentified flying objects which defy known explanations is staggering. These
are men and women who deserve our utmost respect. Their testimony ought
to challenge us to give serious consideration to the phenomenon that they are
reporting.
Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, known as the, “American Ace of Aces” and a
Medal of Honor commander of the 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron in WWI, with
26 “kills” said, “Flying saucers are real. Too many good men have seen them,
that don’t have hallucinations.”373 Additionally, United States Air Force
Captain Edward Ruppelt who served as Chief of Project Bluebook—the official
Air Force investigation into UFO’s—writes in his book The Report on
Unidentified Flying Objects:
When four college professors, a geologist, a chemist, a physicist and a
petroleum engineer report seeing the same UFOs on fourteen different
occasions, the event can be classified as, at least, unusual. Add the fact
that hundreds of other people saw these UFOs and that they were
photographed, and the story gets even better. Add a few more facts –
that these UFOs were picked up on radar and that a few people got a
close look at one of them, and the story begins to convince even the
most ardent skeptic.374
372
Hall, “Extraterrestrial Psychology.”
Hall, The UFO Evidence, 37.
374 Edward Ruppelt, The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects (New York: Doubleday and Co.,
1956), 133, Source: King, “The UFO Problem,” 42.
373
167
He also writes:
Personally, I don’t believe that “It can’t be.” I wouldn’t class myself as a
“believer” exactly, because I’ve seen too many UFO reports that first
appeared to be unexplainable fall to pieces when they were thoroughly
investigated. But every time I begin to get skeptical I think of the other
reports, the many reports made by experienced pilots and radar
operators, scientists, and other people who knew what they are looking
at. These reports were thoroughly investigated and they are still
unknowns. Of these reports, the radar-visual sightings are the most
convincing. When a ground radar picks up a UFO target and a ground
observer sees a light where the radar target is located, then a jet
interceptor is scrambled at intercept the UFO and the pilot also sees the
light and gets a radar lock on only to have the UFO almost impudently
outdistance him, there is no simple answer. We have no aircraft on this
earth that can at will so handily outdistance our latest jets.375
Additionally, Captain Ruppelt writes:
What constitutes proof? Does a UFO have to land at the River Entrance
to the Pentagon near the Joint Chiefs of Staff offices? Or is it proof
when a ground radar station detects a UFO, sends a jet to intercept it,
the jet pilot sees it, and locks on with his radar, only to have the UFO
streak away at a phenomenal speed? Is it proof when a jet pilot fires at a
UFO and sticks to his story even under the threat of Court Marshal?
Does this constitute proof?376
Contrary to popular opinion, the UFO phenomenon is not limited to the
United States. Nearly every major nation has experienced its own UFO
375
376
Ibid, 314, Source: King, “The UFO Problem,” 27.
Ibid, 8, Source: King, “The UFO Problem,” 27.
168
sightings and has investigated the phenomenon. Often these nations are more
open regarding their investigations and conclusions than is the United States.
Chief of Staff of Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force, Lieutenant General Akira
Hirano, said, “We frequently see unidentified objects in the sky. We are quietly
investigating them.”377 Likewise, Secretary General of Belgium L. Clerebaut,
who was in charge of investigating UFOs, said, “Scientifically we eliminate the
simple hypotheses: It’s not a plane. It’s not a helicopter. It’s not a natural
phenomenon because the descriptions don’t match. Therefore this global
phenomenon resists any other explanation. The only remaining hypothesis is
the hypothesis of extraterrestrial origin.”378 We may not agree with the
Secretary’s conclusions; nevertheless, this quote reveals that there is enough
credible evidence to classify this phenomenon as a decidedly paranormal event
in the mind of one of Belgium’s leading officials—an official who was assigned
the task of investigating the phenomenon. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to
accept the idea that some people’s personal experiences may be based upon a
very real and seemingly supernatural experience. Not every person who claims
to have experienced something paranormal is mentally unstable, confused, or
intentionally deceitful.
The head of the Royal Air Force during World War II, Air Chief Marshall Lord
Dowding, was quoted by Rueters in August of 1954 as saying, “Of course the
flying saucers are real, and they are interplanetary.”379 Likewise, former
Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev has said, “The phenomenon of UFOs
does exist, and it must be treated seriously.”380 Prince Philip, His Royal
Highness, Duke of Edinburgh has also said, “There are many reasons to
believe that they (UFOs) do exist: there is so much evidence from reliable
witnesses.”381 Additionally, Commander-In-Chief of the Indonesian Air Force,
377
Bible UFO Connection, “International Military Witnesses.”
Bible UFO Connection, “International Quotes.”
379 UFO Evidence, “Famous Quotes on UFOs.”
380 Bible UFO Connection, “International Quotes.”
381 Ibid.
378
169
Air Marshall Nurjadin Roesmin, has said, “UFOs sighted in Indonesia are
identical with those sighted in other countries. Sometimes they pose a problem
for our Air Defence and once we were obliged to open fire on them.”382
Former French Minister of Defense, M. Robert Galley, has said:
I must say that if listeners could see for themselves the mass of reports
coming in from the airborne gendarmerie [French police officers], from
the mobile gendarmerie, and from the gendarmerie charged with the job
of conducting investigations, all of which reports are forwarded by us to
the National Center for Space Studies, then they would see that it is all
pretty disturbing.383
And Lord Hill Norton, Former British Chief of Defense Staff, Minister for
Defense, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral of the Fleet,
and Member of the House of Lords has said:
The evidence that there are objects which have been seen in our
atmosphere, and even on terra firma, that cannot be accounted for either
as man-made objects or as any physical force or effect known to our
scientists seems to me to be overwhelming... A very large number of
sightings have been vouched for by persons whose credentials seem to
me unimpeachable. It is striking that so many have been trained
observers, such as police officers and airline or military pilots. Their
observations have in many instances... been supported either by technical
means such as radar or, even more convincingly, by... interference with
electrical apparatus of one sort or another ...384
382
Bible UFO Connection, “International Military Witnesses.”
Bible UFO Connection, “International Quotes.”
384 Ibid.
383
170
Given the above testimony, it would seem that the subject of unidentified flying
objects is a subject that is worthy of serious consideration. Why then are
testimonies regarding UFO sightings immediately dismissed and ridiculed by so
many? Likewise, most testimonies regarding anything paranormal are generally
trivialized and dismissed by Christians.
If we would take the time to honestly investigate the paranormal, we would
find that there is often more credible testimony and evidence undergirding this
topic than we might imagine. This is not to say that Christians ought to spend
their time investigating the paranormal. Often times a study of these topics will
lead a person into spiritually dangerous territory. It is difficult to sufficiently
study the paranormal without also studying New Age and Occult doctrines.
Also, many investigators develop an unhealthy fascination with the paranormal
which steals their attention from other spiritual matters necessary for personal
growth in the Lord.
How then should we as Christians respond to the paranormal? To begin with,
we should acknowledge its reality. In its pursuit of being viewed as credible and
scientifically accurate, the church has habitually denied the reality of anything
supernatural. Its sense of the supernatural has been supplanted by the
philosophy and tenets of modernism. The church has embraced secular
humanism’s tenets that everything must have a rational and scientifically
verifiable explanation, and that a belief in the paranormal is the result of
ignorance and superstition. To protect these tenets, the Christians actively
conform Scripture to make it comply with modern scientific theory and
historical understanding. Many of the supernatural aspects of Scripture have
been ignored, allegorized, or rejected. Consequently, those who claim to have
experienced something paranormal are generally disbelieved. They are told that
they were confused, that they misidentified the object, that they dreamed it, or
that they imagined it. Too often, without fully listening to the individual’s
testimony—and certainly without critically considering the individual’s story—
171
Christians have defaulted to a dismissal of these accounts. By so doing, the
church has pushed away the individual.
Many people have had a very real experience that they cannot understand, and
they are seeking answers. Unfortunately, the church has lost respect and
credibility among those seeking answers because of its consistent denial of all
things paranormal. Many have been angered by accusations that they simply
imagined their experience. Many have been hurt when the church has
suggested that they receive psychological help. Many feel abandoned by the
church. Many have felt as if they cannot express their experience for fear of
how their church may respond. Many have even been run out of churches
because of their experiences. Today, people who seek answers to the
paranormal are compelled to look beyond the church because of these
experiences.
Coast to Coast AM is one of the most popular radio shows in the nation. It
features guest speakers who range anywhere from the highly credible to the
extremely suspect, and it covers issues and theories which range anywhere
from the scientifically verifiable to farfetched speculation. No story is too
bizarre to be considered. Consequently it has established a venue to discuss all
forms of the paranormal in a non-threatening atmosphere of acceptance.
Everyone is made to feel welcome regardless of how strange their experience
or beliefs may be, and they are encouraged to share their testimonies. Because
of this, the show attracts numerous spiritual seekers and even many Christians
who desire answers but cannot find them within the church.
Coast to Coast AM should not be the primary venue for people to discuss
paranormal activity. The church should fulfill this role. Of all people, Christians
should be the most likely and most well-equipped to believe that paranormal
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events occur. Our entire belief system is based upon the paranormal.385
Consider what we believe for just a moment. We believe that a spiritual being
called the Devil interacted with mankind to convince Adam and Eve to sin.
God divinely elected the people of Israel and supernaturally protected them.
God became a man, performed miracles, and rose from the dead. Christians
receive special abilities from the Holy Spirit, and the early church spoke in
foreign languages that they had not learned, healed the sick, prophesied, and
raised the dead. We hope for the resurrection of the dead and the future return
of God to earth to wage physical war with mankind, the Devil, and the
demons. And all of this is recorded in a book which was delivered to us via
Divine inspiration.
At the heart of our belief system is a conviction that paranormal activity exists.
Moreover, we believe that not only is there a physical and a spiritual world, but
the two frequently interact with one another. Not only is it possible for the
inhabitants of the spiritual world to contact those of the physical, but the
inhabitants of the physical world can also initiate contact with those of the
spiritual world. If Christians truly believe this, then why do so many
immediately deny every account and testimony which may serve as an example
of this interaction between the physical and the spiritual?
Scripture is filled with examples of paranormal activity. God warns His people
in Deuteronomy 13:1–5386 that there will be those who correctly prophesy
385
For the purposes of this book, no technical distinction is being made between the
paranormal and the supernatural. The supernatural is not perceived as being ordinary, and therefore, it
can be considered paranormal.
386 Deuteronomy 13:1–5: “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives
you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us
go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the
words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know
whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after
the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall
serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death,
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the future even though they are not of God. He also warns in Matthew
24:24387 that there will be individuals who can wield great power to perform
miraculous signs and wonders. People have been Divinely made sick or struck
dead as well as healed (Acts 5:1–10;388 1 Cor. 11:27–30;389 James
5:14–15390). Angels have manifested themselves and interacted with men
(Acts 5:19;391 10:1–6;392 12:7;393 Heb. 13:2394). God gives people
because he has taught rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt
and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the LORD your
God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
387
Matthew 24:24: For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and
wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
388
Acts 5:1–10: But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part
of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to
the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained
unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that
you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias
heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.
The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. After an interval of
about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me
whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her,
“How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who
have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at
his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her
out and buried her beside her husband.
389 1 Corinthians 11:27–30: Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the
Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person
examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks
without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak
and ill, and some have died.
390 James 5:14–15: Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and
let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will
save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be
forgiven.
391 Acts 5:19a: But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and
brought them out
392 Acts 10:1–6: At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was
known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms
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special abilities through supernatural gifting (1 Cor. 12:4–11;395 Rom.
12:6–8396). It is also possible for people to be possessed by spiritual entities
(Matt. 17:14–18;397 Mark 5:1–13398).
generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw
clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror
and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a
memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is
lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
393
Acts 12:7: And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the
cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his
hands.
395
1 Corinthians 12:4–11: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there
are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God
who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common
good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of
knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing
by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to
distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of
tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually
as he wills.”
396 Romans 12:6–8: Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use
them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his
teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who
leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
397 Matthew 17:14–18: And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and,
kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly.
For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they
could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be
with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon,
and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.
398 Mark 5:1–13: They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.
And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with
an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a
chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and
he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the
tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he
saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said,
“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not
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As Christians, we should recognize that not all paranormal events are demonic
in nature. Most of the examples in the above list do not have demonic origins.
We know that angels are regularly ministering to the saints (Heb. 1:13–
14399). The Bible teaches that Christians can interact with angels in the
physical realm, sometimes unaware (Heb. 13:2400). This is, by definition, a
paranormal event which is not demonic. Just because something is difficult to
understand does not make it inherently evil. When Christians blame the Devil
for anything which cannot be explained, they lose credibility among those who
are genuinely seeking answers. If the Devil is to be blamed, then we must be
able to provide Scriptural reasons for our conclusion.
As Christians, we should be willing to accept the reality of paranormal events.
Moreover, we must move past our fear of looking ignorant. It is okay to admit
that something does not make sense to us. We do not need to shift the blame
and attention onto the Devil. Sometimes authentic paranormal activities
happen, and they are not always demonic in nature.
Most of the time, there is a reasonable explanation. By definition,
“paranormal” means that it is an event which does not frequently occur. Most
Christians will live their entire lives without ever experiencing a genuine
paranormal event. Of course, just because an event has a reasonable
explanation, does not mean the individual experiencing it understands what is
occurring. Regardless of the cause behind the experience, it is a genuine
torment me.” For he was saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And Jesus asked
him, "What is your name?" He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him
earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the
hillside, and they begged him, saying, "Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them
permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two
thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
399 Hebrews 1:13–14: And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to
serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
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experience to the individual. Even if the experience is entirely a figment of his
imagination, he has still had an emotional and mental experience. This
experience—whether it be natural, paranormal, or imagined—is significant to
the individual; therefore, it ought to be significant to us as well. Denial and
belittling of the experience is, to some degree, a denial and belittling of the
individual.
Crucial in all of this is that we know how to be discerning. Not every
paranormal event is genuine. Not every paranormal event has a supernatural
explanation. Not every paranormal event is demonic. Having said this, some
paranormal events are demonic. This is why we are called to test the spirits to
determine whether paranormal events are truly from God. 1 John 4:1 says,
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they
are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
As Christians, we should recognize the significance of the paranormal in our
society. We have been granted a prime opportunity to connect with society
and to provide real answers to those who are seeking the truth. The
paranormal opens wide doors of opportunity to discuss the reality of the
spiritual realm and the consequences of ignoring and rejecting God’s free gift
of reconciliation and salvation. We may not have the answer to every
paranormal experience, but we do possess the answers to life’s most
meaningful paranormal issues. However, we cannot accomplish this if we put
our heads in the sand and pretend as if all things paranormal are restricted to
the imagination and to popular media.
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Chapter 7
The Paranormal – Part 2
Despite the fact that the paranormal has ruled popular media for decades, the
paranormal is not restricted to the media and to fiction. There is a reality to
some paranormal events, and the Bible affirms this reality. Unimpeachable
witnesses and investigators also affirm the reality of paranormal events. Not all
of these witnesses agree as to the cause behind these phenomena, but they
agree that there is a reality to paranormal activity.
They are not alone in their experiences and conclusions. Millions of people are
experiencing something that they cannot explain, and they are seeking
answers. In their pursuit of the truth, they have opened themselves to the
spiritual world. Unfortunately, many have gravitated to the wrong spiritual
camp. They have turned to Occultism and New Age philosophy. As such, they
have received as truth the doctrines of devils (1 Tim. 4:1401).
We as Christians have a prime opportunity to satisfy the thirst of these seekers
by leading them to the truth of the Bible. Of course, in order to do this, we
need to know what the Bible has to say regarding these paranormal
401
1 Timothy 4:1: Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the
faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
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experiences. This does not mean that we should study everything paranormal
and conclusively prove its existence or non-existence according to Scripture.
As Christians, we ought to be cautious about studying and investigating the
paranormal as it tends to lead people into the Occult and into New Age
doctrines. We also need to be careful about studying the paranormal because it
can very easily become an obsession which detracts from our relationship with
God and from our spiritual growth. Instead, we should be aware that people
are experiencing, or are fascinated with, the paranormal, and we need to know
the principles of Scripture which relate to the heart of the subject. Contrary to
popular opinion, the Bible does supply us with sufficient information for us to
test the spirits and to discern the nature behind these paranormal events.
As covered in the last chapter, not all paranormal events are demonic. We
know that angels regularly minister to Christians (Heb. 1:13–14402). The
Bible teaches that Christians can interact with these angels in the physical
realm, sometimes unaware (Heb. 13:2403). By definition, this is a paranormal
activity which is not demonic. Having said this, the aspects of the paranormal
which have fascinated our society do generally find their origins in the
demonic. As such, we should not associate and identify ourselves with these
things. Instead, we are called to expose them. Ephesians 5:11 commands,
“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
UFOs, aliens, and abductions are demonic in nature, and the entities involved
in these accounts may very well be actual demons.404 Many Christian and
402
See footnote 399.
See footnote 23.
404 The term “UFO” refers to any unidentified flying object. The majority of UFO reports are
merely reported sightings of some unknown aerial phenomenon. It is probable that most of these are
the consequence of natural phenomenon, misidentification, and of military activities. Naturally, UFO
accounts which are rooted in misidentification and natural, or terrestrial, activities are nothing more
than confusion. There is nothing inherently demonic—or even moral or immoral—regarding these
reports. However, many UFO reports extend beyond stating what the individual observed. These
accounts often include alien entities and religious experiences. These are the accounts to which the
author is referring when speaking of the demonic nature behind UFOs.
403
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secular researchers alike have concluded that at least some UFO reports are
related to spiritual entities. According to their “inter-dimensional hypothesis,”
UFO’s involve visitations from other realities or dimensions that coexist
separately alongside our own. Christians ordinarily use the term “spiritual”
instead of inter-dimensional, but they refer to the same thing. This has
become a popular understanding of the phenomenon among both Christian
and secular researchers because it explains how there can be a physicality to
UFO’s while, simultaneously, there appears to be a metaphysical aspect to
them which defies the known laws of science. Dr. Hugh Ross has noted that
UFO’s generate no sonic booms when they break the sound barrier, nor do
they show any evidence of meeting with air resistance. They make impossibly
sharp turns and sudden stops, and they emit no detectable electromagnetic
signals.405 Scientific advisor to the U.S. Air Force studies on UFO’s, developer
of the close encounter classification system, and father of the scientific analysis
of UFO reports and evidence, Josef Allen Hynek, in an article titled “Machines
made of Shadows,” writes, “The spiritual theory explains why UFOs can make
right angle turns. It explains why they can be dematerialized, why sometimes
they are picked up on radar and sometimes not.”406
Not only have many secular researchers accepted what amounts to a spiritual
cause behind this phenomenon, but many secular researchers have also
concluded that the modern UFO, alien, and abduction accounts are rooted in
the demonic. John Keel was an American journalist and an influential ufologist.
In his book UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse, John Keel writes:
Demonology is not just another crackpot-ology. It is the ancient and
scholarly study of the monsters and demons who have seemingly
coexisted with man throughout history. Thousands of books have been
written on the subject, many of them authored by educated clergymen,
405
406
Ross, Lights in the Sky, 69–70.
JediWitness2, “Demonic Alien Agenda.”
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scientists and scholars, and uncounted numbers of well-documented
demonic events are readily available to every researcher. The
manifestations and occurences described in this imposing literature are
similar, if not entirely identical, to the UFO phenomenon itself. Victims of
demonomania (possession) suffer the very same medical and emotional
symptoms as the UFO contactees. ... The devil and his demons can,
according to the literature, manifest themselves in almost any form and
can physically imitate anything from angels to horrifying monsters with
glowing eyes. Strange objects and entities materialize and dematerialize in
these stories, just as the UFOs and their splendid occupants appear and
disappear, walk through walls, and perform other supernatural feats.407
He also writes, “The UFO manifestations seem to be, by and large, merely
minor variations of the age-old demonological phenomenon.”408 Furthermore,
Dr. Jacques Vallee is an astrophysicist and a computer scientist who is best
known for his work at SRI International in creating Arpanet—a precursor to
the Internet—and for co-developing the first computerized mapping of mars
for NASA. He is also among the pioneer ufologists and has addressed the
United Nations on the subject of UFOs. In his book Messengers of Deception,
Dr. Jacques Vallee writes, “An equally impressive parallel could be made
between UFO occupants and the popular conceptions of demons, and indeed
sociologists have pointed out that ‘the same elements are involved in diabolic
contacts as in the divine encounters of increasing intimacy with what is defined
as a supernatural consciousness.’”409 Additionally, Dr. Pierre Guerin was a
senior researcher at the French National Council for Scientific Research. In an
article for Flying Saucer Review, Dr. Pierre Guerin said, “[T]he modern
UFOnauts and the demons of past days are probably identical.”410 Also, Lynn
407
John Keel, Operation Trojan Horse, 192, Source: Melanson, “UFOs & the Cult of ET.”
John Keel, Operation Trojan Horse (Illuminet, 1996) 299, Source: Ankerberg, The Facts.
409 Vallee, Messengers of Deception, 14.
410 Flying Saucer Review 25, no. 1:14, Source: Watcher Website, “Quotes on the Deceptive
Nature.”
408
181
Catoe was the senior bibliographer of a government publication researched by
the Library of Congress for the United States Air Force Office of Scientific
Research titled UFOs and Related Subjects. Lynn Catoe writes:
A large part of the available UFO literature is closely linked with
mysticism and the metaphysical. It deals with subjects like mental
telepathy, automatic writing and invisible entities as well as phenomena
like poltergeist [ghost] manifestations and ‘possession.’ Many of the UFO
reports now being published in the popular press recount alleged
incidents that are strikingly similar to demonic possession and psychic
phenomena.411
These are secular researchers, and yet they are not only able to identify this
phenomenon as being demonic, they use a set of criterion to reach this
conclusion. How is it that secular researchers use a standard for determining
whether something is demonic and are able to defend their conclusions, but
most Christians who claim UFO’s and aliens to be demonic do not? Too many
Christians are quick to label this phenomenon demonic simply because it is
strange and difficult to explain. They do not have solid reasoning for their
conclusions. Neither can they use Scripture to prove why this is demonic. By
doing so, Christians lose credibility among those who are genuinely seeking
answers. If they are going to make the claim, then Christians need to be able
to defend why they believe UFO’s and aliens to be demonic.
The testimonies of those who believe themselves to be victims of alien
abduction frequently include horrific and sadistic sexual abuse. A 1992 study
conducted by M.I.T. at Cambridge titled Alien Discussions: Proceedings of the
Abduction Study Conference Held at M.I.T. Cambridge M.A compared the
testimonies of alien abduction victims with those of Occult ritual survivors and
411
Lynn Catoe, UFOs and Related Subjects: USGPO, 1969; prepared under AFOSR Project
Order 67-0002 and 68-0003, Source: “Quotes on the Deceptive Nature.”
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concluded that the two phenomenon are so similar as to be one and the same
in origin. (This report is provided in Appendix C.6) Likewise, Dr. Jacques
Vallee writes in his book Messengers of Deception, “The ‘medical examination’
to which abductees are said to be subjected, often accompanied by sadistic
sexual manipulation, is reminiscent of the medieval tales of encounters with
demons.”412 Certainly this is a strong indication that whatever may be
occurring is demonic in nature. After all, 1 John 3:8 says, “Whoever makes a
practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the
beginning.”
A frequent element in abduction accounts is lingering fear. Although fear is not
universally recalled, its presence is consistent enough to reveal that the cause
behind the abduction phenomenon is not God because 1 John 4:18 says,
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do
with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
Compare this against Whitley Strieber’s abduction testimony in his book
Transformation, “I felt an absolutely indescribable sense of menace. It was hell
on earth to be there, and yet I couldn’t move, couldn’t cry out, couldn’t get
away. I lay as still as death, suffering inner agonies. Whatever was there
seemed so monstrously ugly, so filthy and dark and sinister. Of course they
were demons. They had to be. And they were here and I couldn’t get
away.”413
Furthermore, the messages received from aliens have proven them to be liars
and deceivers.414 Their prophecies and promises have repeatedly failed to
unfold as they were spoken. Many times aliens have promised to reveal
themselves at a specified location on a particular date. Each time, they fail to
honor this commitment. Many times aliens have prophesied a great
412
Vallee, Confrontations, 13.
Strieber, Transformation, 190.
414 TyrannosaurusRadio, “Demonic UFOs.”
413
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catastrophe or war which fails to occur. They also teach people about past
lives and reincarnation. However, Hebrews 9:27 teaches that man lives only
one life and then faces judgment. Aliens even claim to be the creators of
mankind. However, the Bible teaches that God created man. Genesis 2:7, and
21–22 says, “[T]hen the LORD God formed the man of dust from the
ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a
living creature. … So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man,
and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And
the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman
and brought her to the man.”
Most importantly, aliens repeatedly deny that Jesus was the Divine Son of God
and the Christ. Recall that this is one of our tests for identifying the spirit of
antichrist. 1 John 2:22 says, “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is
the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.”
Sometimes they teach that Jesus was a good teacher who was attempting to
enlighten mankind. Sometimes they teach that Jesus was Himself an alien.
Some have even claimed to be Jesus—particularly the entity known as
Sananda. Therefore, it should not be difficult to accept that aliens also
frequently deny the authority of Scripture as the infallible and inspired Word of
God. They teach that the Bible contains errors. However, this too, is one of
our tests for identifying the spirit of antichrist (1 John 5:10–12415).
Clearly, the spirit behind this phenomenon is demonic. Any sense of alien
benevolence, enlightenment, and protection are illusions. Scripture is clear, the
actions and teachings of these aliens lead only to death and destruction (John
10:10416).
415
See footnote 199.
John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have
life and have it abundantly.
416
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Another aspect of the paranormal which fascinates our modern society is
vampirism. Vampires are also demonic in nature. Most civilizations throughout
history have had their own version of the vampire. Many of the early vampire
stories present the vampire as a spirit-like entity which is capable of physically
draining the blood from its victim. The consistency of these accounts indicates
that the vampire is originally based in some degree of truth. However, history
does not bear witness to the modern depiction of vampires. In fact, even the
modern mythology of vampires is continually evolving. To the best of our
knowledge, vampires as they are understood today have never existed.
Nevertheless, there are many today who imitate the vampire. In 2011, Fox
News reporter and syndicated radio host, Sean Hannity, reported, “There’s
actually a vampire subculture that exists in the United States right now and
spreads into almost every community in this country.”417 Some believe
themselves to be psychic vampires who feed off of people’s energy.418 Others
drink blood and may even imitate the appearance of the vampire. Among
those who drink blood, some acquire a dependence upon it. Regardless of
whether this is only psychological, they feel as though they need blood to
remain energized.
It is important to recognize that there is a strong number of individuals who
have adopted the qualities of the fictional vampire. Although there may not be
undead creatures of the night lurking amongst us, there is a burgeoning
number of people who have assumed the lifestyle of the vampire. Therefore, it
is important that we recognize the spirit behind vampirism.
417
Hannity, “Night Neighbors.”
“A Psychic Vampire is a person, who by reason of a condition of their spirit, needs to
obtain vital energy from outside sources.”
(http://www.psivamp.org/curious.html)
“While this is an interesting idea, scientists and doctors have never been able to locate or even
verify the existence of this supposed ‘energy.’ Since there’s no evidence that the bodily or psychic
energy exists in the first place, there’s no way to prove that a ‘psychic vampire’ is in fact draining that
energy.”
(Radford, “Vampires Among Us.”)
418
185
We know that ancient religions and witchcraft have always placed great
emphasis on blood and often employ the use of blood in their ceremonies. It
was, and in some cases still is, believed that when an individual drinks the
blood of someone or something, they are then endowed with the energies and
power of the victim. This is why God commanded His people to separate
themselves from this practice in Leviticus 19:26, “‘You shall not eat any flesh
with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes.’” The
command against eating blood is directly associated with witchcraft. This is
further confirmed by the ensuing context which focuses on elements of
witchcraft and pagan religious worship in verses 27–31.419 This command
was not given because of dietary or health concerns. It appears as if God
issued this command to prevent his people from seeking empowerment from a
source other than Himself.
Integral to every vampire story is blood. Romans 3:15420 teaches that one of
the characteristics of the unrighteous is that they are quick to shed blood.
Moreover, God considers blood to be sacred. Leviticus 17:10–14 says:
“If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among
them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats
blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the
flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make
atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the
life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you
419
Leviticus 19:27–31: You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges
of your beard. You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the
LORD. “Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution
and the land become full of depravity. You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am
the LORD.”
420 Romans 3:13–17: “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are
swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.”
186
shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat
blood. Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who
sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be
eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every
creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the
people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life
of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.”
The purpose for this command cannot be for hygienic reasons. God informs
His people that the reason for this command is that the life is in the blood,
and it is through blood that the soul will be saved. God did not want His
people partaking in the pagan practice of consuming the life force of another
for personal empowerment. God’s people did not need power; they needed
forgiveness, and that forgiveness would come only at the expense of a life.
This was symbolized using the life of animals until Jesus Christ paid the debt
with His own life. Only Jesus’ blood can truly forgive sins (Rom. 3:22–
26;421 Rom. 5:6–10422). God did not want His people chasing after the
wrong blood.
Empowerment is the primary reason why vampires drink blood. According to
the legend, when a vampire drinks blood, he captures the victim’s life-force.
421
Romans 3:22–26: [T]he righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who
believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are
justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward
as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because
in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the
present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
422 Romans 5:6–10: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the
ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one
would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him
from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his
Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
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This not only nourishes the vampire, but it also endows him with supernatural
abilities, such as strength, health, and immortality. In a sense, vampires teach
that man can attain immortality and god-like powers apart from Christ and
apart from repentance. However, the Bible teaches that only through placing
our faith in Jesus Christ and repenting of our sins can a person attain
immortality (John 3:16; 423 8:24424). Vampires emphasize the wrong blood;
human blood cannot give us eternal life. Only through the blood of Jesus can
we receive eternal life. In Matthew 26:28, Jesus tells His disciples, “[F]or this
is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness
of sins.” Also, Romans 5:8–9 and 18–21 says:
[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ
died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood,
much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. …
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of
righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one
man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s
obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to
increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the
more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through
righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Vampirism is a perversion of Christ’s teaching in John 6:53–57:
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh
of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever
feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise
him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true
423
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
424 John 8:24: “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he
you will die in your sins.”
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drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and
I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so
whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.”
Jesus is not referencing the physical in this passage; He is speaking of the
spiritual. At no point in Scripture do we read of any individual literally eating
Jesus’ flesh or drinking His blood. Here Jesus is drawing a parallel between
Himself and the manna that the Jews ate in the wilderness. God supernaturally
provided the life-sustaining gift of manna from heaven as a picture of the
spiritually life-sustaining gift from heaven that God would provide in Jesus
Christ. A person can have everlasting spiritual life with God if they consume
Jesus in a spiritual sense. When a person feasts himself upon who Jesus is and
allows Jesus to strengthen and nourish his soul, Jesus promises that that
person will be forever spiritually satisfied and sustained. Vampirism completely
misses the point. It focuses entirely on the physical, and it ignores the
significance of Jesus Christ. It teaches that all blood can bestow life—that man
can experience eternal life apart from Jesus Christ. This is a denial of Jesus as
the Christ, and is the spirit of antichrist according to 1 John 2:22.425
Nearly everything that defines the vampire is something from which Christians
have been called to separate themselves. In many ways, vampires are the
embodiment of our sinful natures. Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissentions,
divisions, envy, and orgies are all qualities which are shared by both vampires
and the sinful nature426 (Gal. 5:19–21427). Nearly every characteristic of the
425
1 John 2:22: Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the
antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
426 It can be argued that drunkenness is also a shared quality. The vampire’s drink of choice is
not alcohol, but blood. Between the vampire’s need for blood and the drunkard’s need for alcohol,
there are many parallels.
427 Galatians 5:19–21: Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity,
sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy,
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sinful nature listed in Galatians is a defining characteristic of the vampire.
These are also defining characteristics of the spirit of antichrist. Therefore,
according to Scripture, the vampire is the embodiment of evil, completely
devoid of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16–18 teaches that a
person cannot follow after the sinful nature and the Holy Spirit simultaneously,
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit
are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from
doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not
under the law.”
This is further evidenced by the vampire’s almost continual state of
melancholy. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Why then do Christians long after and
fantasize about vampires? In doing so, Christians are pursuing the very
opposite of what they are called to become. Christ promises the Christian an
abundant life and the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit (John 10:10428).
How can a Christian believe that the sullen life of a vampire in any way
compares to what Christ has freely offered us?
In Acts 15:28–29, the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem wrote a letter to the
Gentiles commanding them to abstain from four things, “‘For it has seemed
good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these
requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from
blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you
keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.’” Modern vampires
drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such
things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
428 John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have
life and have it abundantly.
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focus nearly all their attention on two of these four things: Drinking blood and
committing sexual immorality.429
Later, in Ephesians 5:3, the Apostle Paul commands, “But sexual immorality
and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is
proper among saints.” Vampires covet blood, are sexually immoral, and are
involved in activities which the Bible considers “impure.” As Christians, we are
called to separate ourselves from the very characteristics which define the
vampire. Far from accomplishing this, many Christians today have become
enamored with the vampire. They entertain themselves by championing the
cause of vampires in popular media. In some instances, such as Twilight’s
Edward Cullen, they idolize the vampire. The vampire becomes the ultimate
sex symbol and the epitome of a romantic lover. According to Scripture, this
should not be the case. Christians should not associate with vampires via books
and movies, and Christians certainly should not sympathize with a character
who blasphemes the blood of Jesus Christ.
Yet another aspect of the paranormal which fascinates our society is zombies.
Like vampires, there are elements of the zombie legend which are rooted in
factual events, but the modern zombie character is entirely fictitious. There is
no evidence to indicate that a truly dead corpse has ever been re-animated as
a zombie.
Like the others, zombies are demonic in nature. Zombies contradict the Bible’s
teaching than man dies and then faces judgment. Hebrews 9:27 says, “[I]t is
appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,” People do not
die and then become re-animated, mindless, corpses. Revelation 20:4 teaches
that some who are judged will reign with Christ on earth for 1,000 years.
Clearly these are not mindless individuals focused entirely on death,
429
2 Timothy 2:22: So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace,
along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
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destruction, and feeding. As for the others who face judgment, they will never
again roam the earth. Rather, they will be confined to the Lake of Fire.
According to Revelation 20:13–15, “And the sea gave up the dead who
were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they
were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death
and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake
of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was
thrown into the lake of fire.”
Zombies are a perversion of God’s promise to resurrect our bodies in 1
Corinthians 15:21–22.430 Zombies are resurrected, but they are mindless,
rotting, corpses. However, the Bible teaches that we will be like Jesus when we
are resurrected from the dead. Romans 6:4–5 says, “We were buried
therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness
of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall
certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” In neither His mortal,
nor immortal body was Jesus ever portrayed as a mindless, rotting, corpse.
As Christians, we are repeatedly encouraged to place our hope in Christ’s
resurrection of the dead, and the judgment of the unrighteous. 1 Thessalonians
4:13–18 says:
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are
asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For
since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus,
God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare
to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until
the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
430
1 Corinthians 15:21–22: For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the
resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
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For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command,
with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of
God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who
are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore
encourage one another with these words.
If this is truly the Christian’s hope, then how can a believer be entertained by
the perversion and rejection of this promise? This is a hope which is to be
cherished.
Moreover, zombies seek only to steal, kill, and destroy. This is the motivation
and intention of our adversary, the Devil. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it
abundantly.” Clearly zombies stand in defiance of God’s design for mankind.
Ultimately, zombies contradict the Bible’s command to love others. Ephesians
5:1–2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in
love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and
sacrifice to God.” Zombies are the epitome of an individual devoid of all love
for his fellowman. In a sense, they are the ultimate fulfillment of Galatians
5:14–15, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that
you are not consumed by one another.” Zombies would be a literal fulfillment
of the Apostle Paul’s warning. Of course, the Apostle Paul was not teaching
the reality of zombies. Rather, he was teaching about how destructive a lack of
love for others can be. Zombies are the ultimate portrayal of this lack of love.
As with vampires, Christians should not become overly fascinated with
zombies. They are defined by the very characteristics which define the spirit of
antichrist. Furthermore, the grotesque images and actions of zombies are not
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healthy for any Christian. Everything about zombies fails to meet the standard
of Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.”
Werewolves also fascinate our society. Yet again, this is a character which can
be traced in varying forms throughout most of history in many diverse
civilizations. As such, it appears as if the werewolf is also rooted in an element
of truth. Nevertheless, history does not bear credible witness to the reality of
werewolves as they are depicted in popular media. There is no reason to
believe that any human has ever possessed the ability to transform himself into
a wolf.
Werewolves are demonic in nature. They contradict the Bible’s teaching that
man is created distinct from the animals and is created in the image of God.
Genesis 1:26–27 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and
over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and
over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his
own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them.”
Werewolves are the supreme example of losing one’s self control and giving
way to one’s most base and carnal nature. However, the Bible teaches that we
are not to give way to our lusts but are to be self-controlled at all times. 2
Peter 1:4–7 says:
[B]y which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so
that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having
escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
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For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with
virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and
self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and
godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit according to Galatians 5:22–24, “But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who
belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Likewise, 2 Timothy 1:7 teaches that God has given every Christian the
ability to remain self-controlled, “[F]or God gave us a spirit not of fear but of
power and love and self-control.”
The very essence of the werewolf is opposed to God’s design and purpose for
mankind as well as His commands to Christians. This contradiction of God’s
Word reveals that the werewolf is rooted in the spirit of antichrist.
Another aspect of the paranormal which fascinates our society is ghosts.
Ghosts are also demonic in nature. A clear indication of this is the fact that
throughout history, ghosts have most often been associated with Occultism and
evil. In fact, it seems that the favorite locations for ghosts to manifest
themselves are places where some act of violence has occurred.
Some have tried to identify ghosts as angelic beings who are sent by God to
interact with mankind. However, the most common element among ghost
stories is that they instill a spirit of fear. The Bible teaches that fear is not from
God. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “[F]or God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power
and love and self-control.” Also, 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love,
but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and
whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” An apparition who generates
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an enduring atmosphere of fear is not of God. As such, this eliminates the
possibility that it is an angel sent by God.
Furthermore, the accounts of ghostly encounters do not match the account of
angelic encounters in Scripture. In the Bible, we find two kinds of angelic
encounters. In the first of these encounters, angels appear indistinguishable
from ordinary men (Heb. 13:2431). In the example of Genesis 19, the men
of Sodom called out to Lot asking for the angels in order that they might have
sexual relations with them. They believed the angels to be ordinary men.
Genesis 19:4–5 says, “But before they lay down, the men of the city, the
men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded
the house. And they called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you
tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.’”432 These angels
were not intangible apparitions who remained at a distance. They interacted
with Lot and even ate the food that Lot prepared for them according to
Genesis 19:3.433 They also physically took hold of Lot and his family
according to Genesis 19:16.434 There is nothing in this first type of
encounter which would lead a person to believe that he had interacted with a
ghost.
In the second kind of angelic encounter, the very sight of the angels
immediately struck fear into the observers, presumably because of their power
431
Hebrew 13:2: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares.
432 The Hebrew word translated as “know” is the same word used for sexual relations between
Adam and his wife, Eve, in Genesis 4:1, and 25, “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived
and bore Cain, saying, ‘I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.’ … And Adam knew his wife
again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, ‘God has appointed for me another
offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.’” In these passages of Scripture, to “know” someone is a
euphemism for sexual relations.
433 Genesis 19:3: But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his
house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
434 Genesis 19:16: Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him,
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and majesty. However, this fear is always quickly dispelled because fear is not
from God (Luke 1:11–13;435 Luke 1:28–30;436 Luke 2:8–10437).
Angels do not appear as apparitions who remain eerily silent in the distance.
Angels speak with those to whom they appear. In these encounters, there is an
obvious supernatural element, but there is never any question as to whether an
angel was encountered. The observer is not left to question whether his eyes
played tricks on him, or whether the entity encountered is from God or the
Devil. And he does not possess a lingering sense of fear and trepidation. The
simple fact of the matter is that modern accounts of ghostly encounters do not
match the Bible’s accounts of angelic encounters.
The primary ghostly activities and ensuing explanations which are reported
contradict God’s Word. As such, they belong to the spirit of antichrist. Most
notably, many ghosts are said to be the spirits of dead humans who have
unfinished business. According to the Bible, this cannot be true. Psalm 146:4
says, “When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his
plans perish.” All that he cared about and aspired to become ceases upon the
individual’s death. As such, it should be evident that the spirit of a deceased
individual has no reason to haunt a house, a location, or an item. Furthermore,
Job 7:9–10 informs us that the individual is not capable of haunting a house,
a location, or an item, “As the cloud fades and vanishes, so he who goes down
to Sheol does not come up; he returns no more to his house, nor does his
435
Luke 1:11–13: And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right
side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But
the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife
Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”
436 Luke 1:28–30: And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with
you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might
be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
437 Luke 2:8–10: And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord
shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for
behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
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place know him anymore.” Whatever may be lingering around the house,
location, or item is certainly not the soul of a dead human.
Ghosts contradict the Bible’s teaching that a man cannot willingly return to the
earth after his death. In Luke chapter 16, Jesus teaches about a rich man who
died and went to Hades. Not wanting his family to join him in his fate, the rich
man wanted to warn his family, but he could not return to his family himself.
Consequently, he unsuccessfully pleaded with Abraham to send someone from
paradise to warn his family on his behalf.438 Clearly the dead cannot
voluntarily return to earth and interact with the physical world.
Interestingly enough, when Jesus’ disciples believed that Jesus was a ghost in
Luke 24:36–39, Jesus did not deny the existence of ghosts, “As they were
talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them,
‘Peace to you!’ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a
spirit. And he said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in
your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see.
For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’” The Bible
438
Luke 16:19–31: “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and
who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with
sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came
and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich
man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham
far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send
Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus
in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this,
between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to
you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to
send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also
come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them
hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will
repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if
someone should rise from the dead.’”
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does not deny the existence of ghosts; it denies the idea that ghosts are the
spirits of dead humans who haunt locations and items. In fact, Scripture
teaches that there are spirits who pretend to be the spirits of dead people.
These are called “familiar spirits.” Isaiah 8:19–20439 says, “And when they
shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards
that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the
living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (KJV).
Whatever these familiar spirits may be, they are likely not the spirits of
humans, and they are not from God because God forbade communication with
familiar spirits. According to Leviticus 19:31,440 it was against God’s Law to
even interact with those who communicated with familiar spirits, “Regard not
them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by
them: I am the LORD your God.” (KJV). If an individual had a familiar spirit,
it was a crime punishable by death. Leviticus 20:27441 says, “A man also or
woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to
death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.”
(KJV). Clearly God does not want His people to follow after ghosts. Christians
should not be involved in any activity which seeks to communicate with entities
from the other side. Neither should a Christian associate with those who do
communicate with the other side. This would include reading their books and
watching their television programs.
439
Isaiah 8:19–20 (ESV): And when they say to you, ‘Inquire of the mediums and the
necromancers who chirp and mutter,’ should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of
the dead on behalf of the living? To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak
according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
440 Leviticus 19:31 (ESV): Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out,
and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.
441 Leviticus 20:27 (ESV): “A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall
surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.”
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A final aspect of the paranormal which fascinates our society is witches.
Witches are also demonic in nature. God commanded His people to separate
themselves from witchcraft. Deuteronomy 18:10–12 says, “There shall not
be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering,
anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a
sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of
the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And
because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before
you.”
In God’s eyes there is no such thing as good witches and bad witches—white
magic versus black magic. According to God, all who practice witchcraft are an
abomination before the Lord. This is because at the heart of witchcraft is a
spirit of rebellion, as is evident in the prophet Samuel’s equation of the two
while speaking to King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:23,442 “For rebellion is as the
sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” (KJV).
Witchcraft places personal desires and ambitions above the ways of God, and it
seeks to accomplish them apart from God. However, the Bible teaches that we
are to humble ourselves and to submit ourselves to God. James 4:5–7 says,
“Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns
jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’? But he gives more
grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the
humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee
from you.” Witchcraft offers man the lusts of his heart without requiring that
he submit to God.
442
1 Samuel 15:23 (ESV): For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as
iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from
being king."
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Every time that the word “witchcraft” appears in the KJV Bible, it is associated
with idolatry443 (1 Sam. 15:23;444 2 Chron. 33:6–7;445 Gal. 5:20446). A
person who rebels against God places his self-will and desires above God’s will
and desires. As such, the individual’s self-will and desires become idols—things
which are placed above God. Achieving the individual’s goals and desires
become more important than following and honoring God.
Some in the above list of paranormal entities, such as witches, exist in reality
today. Others exist only in the realm of fictitious entertainment. As such, it is
easy to dismiss such things as vampires, werewolves, and zombies as harmless
because they are merely the result of an over-active imagination. However,
Scripture speaks repeatedly of the imaginations of men. In nearly every
instance, the reference is negative because often, it is within the imagination
that evil is first devised. Never does God dismiss evil because it exists only in
the imagination. Rather, 2 Corinthians 10:5447 teaches that Christ cast down
imaginations and grants us the power to take every thought captive for Christ,
443
The word translated in the KJV as “witchcraft” is the Hebrew word “kashaph.” It means “to
whisper a spell, that is, to inchant or practice practise magic.” This word is translated as “witchcraft” in
the KJV Bible, whereas the ESV chooses to use the synonyms “divination” and “sorcery.” Likewise,
the Greek word for “witchcraft” is “pharmakeia,” which means “magic, sorcery, witchcraft.” The KJV
translates this word as “witchcraft;” whereas, the ESV translates it as sorcery.
(Strong, Strong’s, #H3784, 76. Also: Strong, Strong’s, #G5331, 101.)
444 1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV): For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee
from being king.
445 2 Chronicles 33:6–7 (KJV): And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the
valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and
dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to
provoke him to anger. And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God,
of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have
chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
446 Galatians 5:20 (KJV): Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,
seditions, heresies,
447 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV): We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against
the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
201
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ;” (KJV). We are to be seekers of God-honoring truth at
all times—whether it be in the realm of reality or the realm of entertainment
and our imaginations.
The spirit of antichrist will use any means possible to spread its deceit and to
cultivate a spirit of rebellion against Christ. When we understand the Biblical
principles which pertain to the paranormal, we are able to test the spirits to
which we are being exposed to see whether they are from God (1 John
4:1448). The Bible has provided us with powerful tools for discerning the truth
in a society which is desperate for answers. As such, we have a wonderful
opportunity, but in order to take advantage of this opportunity, Christians need
to be prepared to show the inherent spiritual danger of these paranormal
activities to those who are seeking answers. More importantly, we should be
prepared and searching for opportunities to use the individual’s interest in
these issues to reveal the spiritual battle that rages all around us in order to
direct them to the truth of God’s Word. As Christians, we need not fear the
paranormal. Rather, paranormal encounters can be used to open wide doors of
opportunity within the hearts of those who desperately need the truth of Jesus
Christ and the salvation that only He can offer them.
448
1 John 4:1: Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are
from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
202
Chapter 8
Evolution – Part 1
Undergirding several of the topics that we are considering in this series is the
Darwinian theory of evolutionary process. Today this process is generally
declared to be a “scientific fact.” However, this contention can be likened to
former Vice President Al Gore’s statement that global warming is a scientific
fact.449 These statements are not based upon the weight of evidence as the
evidence has not proven these theories.450 Instead, proponents of one side of
the argument have gained enough adherents that they can bully the other side
by essentially saying, “Look, because most of us believe this, and because we
comprise such a large number of scientists, it must be fact.” This is not
science; it is politics.
As of March 7, 2014, PetitionProject.org reported that 31,487 scientists
have signed a petition which reads in part, “There is no convincing scientific
evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse
449
malakh1960climate, “Al Gore exposed.”
For the purposes of this book, “global warming” refers to the politicized theory that man is
responsible for the warming of the earth, and if left unchecked, this will result in cataclysmic disasters.
In this book, global warming does not refer to theories that the sun or other natural causes may be
causing an increase in the global temperature. For more information, visit the Science and Public Policy
Institute at http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/.
450
203
EVOLUTION – PART 1
gasses is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of
the Earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the Earth’s climate. Moreover, there
is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide
produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal
environments of the Earth.”451 Clearly there is not a scientific consensus
regarding the theory of global warming. Instead, there is merely a consensus
among many scientists to the exclusion of those scientists who disagree with
them. Likewise, there is no scientific consensus regarding the theory of
evolutionary process. There is merely a consensus among many scientists to
the exclusion of those scientists who disagree with them.
Even so, Darwinian Theory is taught within most public schools as scientific
fact, and creationism is often touted as mere religious theory. This has brought
many Christian students to a point of crisis. They believe that science is true.
After all, science is simply the systematized observation of reality. Likewise,
they believe that the Bible is true. However, the student is taught that science
and the Bible’s account of creation contradict one another. Consequently, the
student feels compelled to either reject one of these standards for determining
truth as being wrong, or he must discover a way to make the two fit together.
The result has largely been one of compromise. Far too many Christian
students have sided with “science” to the neglect of Scripture. Because they
believe science to be the ultimate standard for determining truth, they have
determined that either the Bible contains errors, or the first few chapters of the
Bible should be understood as allegory. In either case, they have concluded that
the Bible is not entirely accurate in its account. Recall that this is one of our
litmus tests for identifying the spirit of antichrist. The spirit of antichrist
undermines and denies the authority of Scripture (1 John 5:10–12452). If
this is a consequence of embracing the Darwinian theory of evolutionary
451
452
Petition Project, “Global Warming.”
See footnote 199.
204
process, then we can be certain that it is a theory that is ultimately motivated
by the spirit of antichrist.
As previously stated, the Darwinian theory of evolutionary process reigns
supreme within today’s world of academia. In a speech at the 1959 Chicago
Darwinian Centennial, the prominent evolutionary biologist and first Director of
UNESCO, Sir Julian Huxley, said, “We all accept the fact of evolution . . The
evolution of life is no longer a theory. It is a fact. It is the basis of all our
thinking.”453 Likewise, in both his book Cosmos, and his television program,
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, Episode 2 titled “One Voice in the Cosmic
Fugue,” professor, astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, pioneer of
exobiology, and prominent evolutionist, Dr. Carl Sagan, declared, “Evolution is
a fact, not a theory. It really happened.”454
There is disagreement regarding evolutionary mechanisms, but modern
scientists do not tolerate disagreement regarding the reality of the evolutionary
process itself. No longer is the nature of our origins open to objective debate.
This seems to be primarily due to the fact that Darwinian evolution has
become a political tool. Funding, recognition, vocational opportunities, etc. now
depend upon one’s adherence to Darwinian Theory rather than one’s
adherence to the scientific method. Politically, the Darwinian theory of
evolutionary process is considered to be scientific fact, and in today’s society,
political opinion is more important than genuine science in determining what is
true and acceptable. Politics has determined that evolutionary process is
considered scientific fact, whereas creationism is considered religious dogma.
In his speech at the Chicago Darwinian Centennial, Sir Julian Huxley said,
“Evolution had no room for the supernatural. The earth and its inhabitants
453
The New York Times, November 28, 1959, Source: Evolution Facts, “Evolution
Encyclopedia Vol. 3.”
454 Carl Sagan, Cosmos, 27, Source: Wikiquote, “Carl Sagan.”
205
were not created, they evolved.”455 Any theory that does not have room for
God is an aberration of the truth. Genesis chapters 1 and 2 teach that God
created the heavens, the earth, and all of their inhabitants. An origins
perspective which has no room for the supernatural and the authority of
Scripture is a view which is governed by the spirit of antichrist. Recall that a
denial of God and a rejection of Scripture are two ways that we can quickly
identify the spirit of antichrist.
As Christians, we determine our beliefs based upon what the Bible teaches.
The Bible—not political expediency, and not even science—is our ultimate
standard for determining truth. Politics and science are continually redefining
themselves. Romans 3:4 says, “… Let God be true though every one were a
liar …”
Ultimately, every person places his faith in someone. None of us witnessed the
genesis of life, and most of us are not professionally studying the subject of
origins. As such, we depend upon the observations and conclusions of others,
and we place our trust in those conclusions. We can trust the conclusions of
scientists who are limited in their powers of observation, or we can trust God
who knows all things, was an eye witness to creation, and who recorded His
testimony in a book which has been repeatedly proven to be more reliable
than any other historical book known to man.456 Either way, our belief
regarding the origin of life is based upon faith in what someone tells us.
Science is continually revising its conclusions as we gain more knowledge and
greater powers of observation. For this reason, science should not serve as our
ultimate standard for determining truth. Science is merely the process of
455
The New York Times, November 28, 1959, Source: Evolution Facts, “Evolution
Encyclopedia Vol. 3.”
456 For more information, see Josh McDowell’s book, The New Evidence That Demands a
Verdict.
206
observing, verifying, and repeating the laws and principles that God has
created. However, a limited perspective necessarily results in a limited
conclusion. This is why science once taught that the sun and planets orbit
Earth, that the stars are fixed to a solid dome above the surface of the Earth,
and that Neil Armstrong would sink into a sea of dust when he stepping upon
the surface of the moon. These conclusions were based upon respectable
science at the time, but they were quickly dispelled when mankind’s knowledge
and perspective of the universe was expanded through the development of the
telescope, the rocket, and the satellite. It is only because of these limitations
that science sometimes appears to be at odds with God. In his book The
Creation Evolution Controversy, professor and former evolutionist Dr. R.L.
Wysong writes:
Modern science was primarily developed within Christendom at a time
when creationism was taken seriously and literally. Most of the fathers of
the various scientific disciplines were creationists. Some examples are
Cuvier, d’Archiac, d’Orbigny, Barrande, Pictet, Murchison, Agassiz, Forbes
and Sedgwick – fathers of comparative anatomy and paleontology (fossil
study); John Ray – founder of systematic botany; Davy – chemist and
discoverer of Potassium and sodium; Boyle – one of the founders of
modern chemistry; Joule – physicist and discoverer of the First Law of
Thermodynamics; Kelvin – physicist and discoverer of the Second Law of
Thermodynamics and telegraphic instruments; Galileo – father of
mechanics and experimental physics; Kepler – father of modern
dynamical astronomy; Faraday – physicist and discoverer of electrolysis,
the power generator and electromagnetic fields; Maxwell – physicist and
developer of the unifying concept of the electromagnetic theory of light;
Samuel Morse – inventor of the telegraph; Newton – physicist,
mathematician and originator of the binomial theorem, differential
calculus and the reflecting telescope as well as discoverer of the nature of
white light, colors and the gravitational forces on the moon; Pasteur –
207
chemist, microbiologist and discoverer of the microbial nature of disease,
vaccines, stereochemistry and pasteurization; and, of course, the recent
scientists Einstein and Von Braun have espoused belief in a creator. So
the majority of modern scientific advancement is based upon discoveries
and scientific methods originated by creationists!457
Unlike many scientific theories, the Bible has yet to be proven false. For
centuries, countless individuals have attempted to do so, presenting many
convincing arguments, but in the end, none of these arguments have
succeeded. We do not have space to delve into this, but there is more evidence
to prove the authenticity of Scripture than there is of any other historical book
known to mankind.458 As such, our faith in the reliability of Scripture is
reasonable. It is not a blind faith.
Having said all this, we will focus this chapter on some of evolution’s
foundational elements. When discussing this subject, it is easy to get caught up
in peripheral arguments; however, these arguments accomplish very little. We
can spend hours debating specific studies and the feasibility of various
evolutionary mechanisms, but these arguments rarely accomplish a fundamental
change in thinking. Instead, we expend a great sum of energy and time only to
see very little change. Surely there must be a more effective approach.
Another difficulty that we face when addressing this issue is bias. Both parties
tend to be so ardent regarding their beliefs that it is difficult for either party to
be objective. Often there is a greater desire to win the debate than there is to
defend the truth. Consequently, it can be a difficult task sorting through
arguments and position papers in search of objective and reliable arguments.
Do not be fooled. Christians are just as biased as any evolutionist. In their zeal
457
458
Wysong, The Creation, 417–418.
For more information, see Josh McDowell’s book, The New Evidence That Demands a
Verdict.
208
to defend the integrity of the Bible, far too many Christians have sacrificed the
integrity of science and of truth. Some are selective and inconsistent in their
scientific approach. Others misrepresent or oversimplify opposing arguments.
Still others have rip quotes out of context and, in some cases, fabricate quotes
to bolster their arguments. Consequently, it can be very difficult to discern
which Christian arguments are truly sound.
Most of us are not technically minded. We do not understand enough about
these sciences to recognize which arguments are based upon good science and
which are not. Therefore, Christians do themselves a disservice when they seek
to bolster their position by introducing weak and erroneous arguments. Other
Christians who have equipped themselves with these arguments quickly find
themselves in trouble when they use them against someone who is well
educated in this field of study. These arguments are soon shot full of holes, and
the Christian is left with virtually no recourse because he does not understand
the subject well enough to intelligently respond to the arguments being
presented him.
Recognizing these common pitfalls, we will pursue an alternative approach for
discussing the subject of Darwinian evolution with someone who accepts it as
fact. To begin with, we as Christians must acknowledge that some kinds of
evolution are, indeed, scientific fact. The word “evolution” simply means
“change with time.” This is undeniable. This is a fact. Of course, not all of
these changes are positive. Many of these changes are degenerative in nature.
In a debate with a professor from Southern Oregon State College, the
creationist founder and president of Reason for Faith Ministries, Dr. Thomas
Kindell, declared:
Of course change occurs with time! We observe changes taking place
everywhere. Stars explode in nova and supernova. Mountains erode into
the sea. Mutations cause disease and deformity. Plant and animal species
209
become extinct and people grow old and die. We see all kinds of
degenerative changes (evolution) as time passes but this kind of evolution
is not the kind we are debating about. We are debating about the
particular kind of evolution (the general Darwinian theory of evolution)
which proposes that over vast eons of time life arose from non-living
matter and amoebas evolved into men. Since no one has ever
experimentally observed this kind of evolution, it is certainly not a fact
and it remains very much open to question.459
When we speak about evolutionary theory as an explanation of our origins, we
are discussing something far more specific and complex than mere change
over time. We are referring to the Darwinian theory of evolutionary process.
Regarding this theory, Charles Darwin was correct in his observation that
animals can experience limited biological changes which help them adapt to
new environments. These changes are known as “micro-evolution.” An
example of micro-evolution can be seen in the number of different breeds of
dogs which exist today. These dogs share a common ancestor, yet microevolution, through selective breeding, has resulted in a variety of genetic traits.
Selective breeding may be able to produce a variety of genetic traits, but this is
only accomplished through shuffling existing genetic information. In none of
these dogs is new genetic information introduced. There is merely a change in
which genes are made dominant and which genes are made recessive.
Genetically, every one of these dogs derives their traits from the same genetic
pool of information.
No breeder has ever bred a dog into some other family of animal. It is
important to note that micro-evolution always occurs within a common family.
Science classifies organisms according to kingdom, phylum, class, order, family,
459
Kindell, Evolution on Trial, 12.
210
genus, and species.460 Micro-evolution is the limited variation that takes place
within plant and animal types (families). There are no known instances of
these genetic changes causing a member of one family to be changed in such
a way as to be classified as belonging to a different family.
Micro-evolution is a scientific fact, but there is another kind of genetic
evolution which is, at best, a theory. This is macro-evolution. Macro-evolution
occurs when a change within the gene pool of an organism results in its being
transformed into a new family. Macro-evolution is purely academic as this
process has never been observed, and there is no undisputed fossil evidence of
this process occurring within nature. In 1980, a conference titled
“Macroevolution” was held at the University of Chicago with 150 of the
world’s leading evolutionary theorists. The evolutionist Roger Lewin reports in
a 1980 Science article titled “Evolutionary Theory Under Fire,” “The central
question of the Chicago conference was whether the mechanisms underlying
microevolution can be extrapolated to explain the phenomena of
macroevolution. At the risk of doing violence to the positions of some of the
people at the meeting, the answer can be given as a clear No.”461
Micro-evolution is an established scientific fact, but macro-evolution remains
theoretical. Nevertheless, most modern scientists begin with the assumption
that macro evolution is a fact. Having assumed the validity of this premise,
they then seek to construct a valid theory for how evolution occurs. In an
About.com Guide article titled “Evolution: Fact or Theory? How can it be
both? What’s the Difference?” professor, paleontologist, evolutionary biologist,
and science historian, Dr. Stephen Gould, is quoted as saying:
Well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. … Evolutionists have been very
clear about this distinction of fact and theory from the very beginning, if
460
461
211
Biology Corner, “Taxonomy.”
Lewin, “Evolutionary Theory.” 883.
only because we have always acknowledged how far we are from
completely understanding the mechanisms (theory) by which evolution
(fact) occurred. Darwin continually emphasized the difference between his
two great and separate accomplishments: establishing the fact of
evolution, and proposing a theory — natural selection — to explain the
mechanism of evolution.462
Dr. Stephen Gould presents Darwin’s scientific observation of micro-evolution
as proof that all forms of evolution—both micro and macro-evolution—are
scientific fact. It is evident that Dr. Stephen Gould is referring to macro
evolution as a fact because he also says, “Facts don’t go away when scientists
debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein’s theory of gravitation replaced
Newton’s in this century, but apples didn’t suspend themselves in midair,
pending the outcome. And humans evolved from ape-like ancestors whether
they did so by Darwin’s proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be
discovered.”463 In other words, macro-evolution is a fact, even if we have not
yet discovered the mechanism by which this occurs. Dr. Stephen Gould, like so
many other scientists, has predetermined his conclusion before approaching
the data.
Most of the controversy surrounding the evolutionary process is the result of
confusing the fact of micro-evolution with the theory of macro-evolution.
Charles Darwin observed a very real natural event. The beaks of finches can
grow longer or shorter as an adaptation to the environment. However, finches
do not transform into a new family of organism as an adaptation to the
environment. Where Charles Darwin erred was in assuming that microevolution proves the existence of macro-evolution, and today, advocates of the
evolutionary process continue to cite examples of micro-evolution as proof of
macro-evolution.
462
463
Cline, “Evolution.”
Ibid.
212
Is, then, the evolutionary process based on science or religious faith?
Dictionary.com defines religion as: “A set of beliefs concerning the cause,
nature, and purpose of the universe.”464 Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as,
“[T]he assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Thus,
religious faith is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of
the universe which cannot be absolutely proven true. On the other hand, the
Oxford English Dictionary defines science as, “A branch of study which is
concerned either with a connected body of demonstrated truths or with
observed facts systematically classified and more or less colligated by being
brought under general laws and which includes trustworthy methods for the
discovery of new truth within its own domain.”465 To simplify this definition, in
school most of us were taught that science is that which is observable,
verifiable, and repeatable.
Is the Darwinian evolutionary process observable? Given that the evolutionary
process takes millions of years to occur, nobody lives long enough to observe
this process. In his book Genetics and the Origin of Species, geneticist and
evolutionary biologist, Dr. Theodosius Dobzhansky, writes:
Experience seems to show, however, that there is no way toward an
understanding of the mechanisms of macroevolutionary changes, which
require time on a geological scale, other than through a full
comprehension of the microevolutionary processes observable within the
span of a human lifetime. For this reason we are compelled at the
present level of knowledge reluctantly to put a sign of equality between
the mechanisms of micro- and macro evolution, and, proceeding on this
assumption, to push our investigations as far ahead as this working
hypothesis will permit.466
464
“Religion,” Dictionary.com.
“The Power of Words,” Language Origins Society, 1990, Source: Language and Evolution,
“The Power of Words.”
466 Dobzhansky, Genetics, p. 12
465
213
In a 1957 American Scientist article titled, “On Methods of Evolutionary
Biology and Anthropology: Part 1, Biology,” Dr. Theodosius Dobzhansky also
writes:
These evolutionary happenings are unique, unrepeatable, and irreversible.
It is as impossible to turn a land vertebrate into a fish as it is to effect the
reverse transformation. The applicability of the experimental method to
the study of such unique historical processes is severely restricted before
all else by the time intervals involved, which far exceed the lifetime of any
human experimenter. And yet it is just such impossibility that is
demanded by anti-evolutionists when they ask for “proofs” of evolution
which they would magnanimously accept as satisfactory.467
Likewise, in a 1974 Evolution article titled “Paleontology and Evolutionary
Theory,” geologist, paleontologist, and professor, Dr. David Kitts, writes,
“Evolution, at least in the sense that Darwin speaks of it, cannot be detected
within the lifetime of a single observer.”
If the Darwinian theory of evolutionary process is not observable, then it does
not belong to the realm of science. Sir Karl Popper—a leading authority on
the philosophy of science and an evolutionist—writes in his autobiography, “I
have come to the conclusion that Darwinism is not a testable scientific theory
but a metaphysical research program—a possible framework for testable
scientific theories.”468 Karl Popper later rescinded this statement, but it would
appear as if the weight of evidence favors his original position.469 Likewise, in
a 1969 Nature article titled “Evolutionary History and Population Biology,”
467
Dobzhansky, “On Methods of Evolutionary Biology and Anthropology,” 388.
Karl Popper, Unended Quest, Source: Halstead, “Popper,” 1210.
469 “I have changed my mind about the testability and logical status of the theory of natural
selection; and I am glad to have an opportunity to make a recantation.”
(Karl Popper, Dialectica, 32: 344–346, Source: Cline, “Karl Popper.”)
468
214
evolutionary biologists at Stanford University and the University of Sydney, Dr.
Paul Erhlich and Dr. Louis Charles Birch, write:
Our theory of evolution has become, as Popper described, one which
cannot be refuted by any possible observations. Every conceivable
observation can be fitted into it. It is thus “outside of empirical science”
but not necessarily false. No one can think of ways in which to test it.
Ideas, either without basis or based on a few laboratory experiments
carried out in extremely simplified systems, have attained currency far
beyond their validity. They have become part of an evolutionary dogma
accepted by most of us as part of our training.470
If something cannot be observed, then it is no longer science. Instead it is faith,
philosophy, or religion. In a 1974 American Scientist article titled, “Biological
Evolution: Natural Selection or Random Walk?” evolutionary biologist,
philosopher, professor, and President and Chairman of the Board of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science, Francisco Ayala,
writes:
Science seeks to discover patterns of relations among empirical facts and
to advance hypotheses or theories that explain why the facts are as
observed. A hypothesis is empirical or scientific only if it can be tested by
experience. The “criterion of demarcation” which separates the empirical
sciences from other realms of discourse, such as metaphysics and
theology, is that scientific hypotheses are subject to empirical testing
(Popper 1959). The tests are intended to discover whether predictions
about the world of experience derived as logical consequences from a
hypothesis agree or not with the state of affairs actually observed. A
hypothesis or theory which cannot be, at least in principle, falsified by
470
215
Erlich, “Evolutionary History.”
empirical observations and experiments does not belong in the realm of
science.471
Likewise, in a 1964 Science article titled “The Nonprevalence of
Humanoids,” one of the most prominent evolutionists of the 20th century,
George Gaylord Simpson, writes, “It is inherent in any acceptable definition of
science that statements that cannot be checked by observation are not really
about anything—or at the very least they are not science.”472
Science consists of that which can be observed, verified, and repeated. Is the
Darwinian theory of evolutionary process verifiable? Given that the
evolutionary process is not observable, it follows that it is not verifiable. In his
book Teilhardism and the New Religion: A Thorough Analysis of the
Teachings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Dr. Wolfgang Smith (not an
evolutionist) writes:
And the salient fact is this: If by evolution we mean macro-evolution (as
we henceforth shall), then it can be said with the utmost rigor that the
doctrine is totally bereft of any scientific sanction. Now, to be sure, given
the multitude of extravagant claims about evolution promulgated by
Evolutionists with an air of scientific infallibility, this may indeed sound
strange. And yet the fact remains that there exists to this day not a shred
of bona fide scientific evidence in support of the thesis that macroevolutionary transformations have ever occurred.473
471
Ayala, “Biological Evolution,” 700.
Simpson, “The Nonprevalence of Humanoids,” 770.
473 Wolfgang Smith, Teilhardism and the New Religion: A Thorough Analysis of the Teachings
of Pierre Teilhard De Chardin (Rockford: Tan Books and Publishers, 1988), 5–6, quoted in
Objections to the Doctrine of Evolution, Steven Dill, Source: Dill, “Shhh – Evolutionist’s Little Secret.”
472
216
Also, in a 1977 Natural History article titled, “Evolution’s Erratic Pace,”
paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, science historian, and professor, Dr.
Stephen Gould, writes:
The extreme rarity of transitional forms in the fossil record persists as the
trade secret of paleontology. The evolutionary trees that adorn our
textbooks have data only at the tips and nodes of their branches; the rest
is inference, however reasonable, not the evidence of fossils. Yet Darwin
was so wedded to gradualism that he wagered his entire theory on a
denial of this literal record:
The geological record is extremely imperfect and this fact will to a
large extent explain why we do not find interminable varieties,
connecting together all the extinct and existing forms of life by the
finest graduated steps. He who rejects these views on the nature of
the geological record, will rightly reject my whole theory.
Darwin’s argument still persists as the favored escape of most
paleontologists from the embarrassment of a record that seems to show
so little of evolution. In exposing its cultural and methodological roots, I
wish in no way to impugn the potential validity of gradualism (for all
general views have similar roots). I wish only to point out that it was
never “seen” in the rocks. … We fancy ourselves as the only true students
of life’s history, yet to preserve our favored account of evolution by
natural selection we view our data as so bad that we never see the very
process we profess to study.474
Dr. Stephen Gould later clarified that he did not intend the above quote to
mean that there are absolutely no transitional forms, but rather that such
transitional forms “are generally lacking at the species level,” and that there is
474
217
Gould, “Evolution’s Erratic Pace,” 14.
no gradual evolutionary tree depicted by the fossil record.475 He was
attempting to defend a theory of evolution known as “punctuated equilibria.”
Nevertheless, he does affirm that the geological record does not bear witness
to the Darwinian theory of gradual evolutionary process. Prior to his death is
2002, Dr. Stephen Gould was possibly the world’s leading spokesman for the
theory of evolution.
In a 2003 New Scientist article titled “Born Lucky,” physicist, professor,
Director of BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, Chair of
the SETI: Post Detection Science and Technology Taskgroup of the
International Academy of Astronautics, and evolutionist, Dr. Paul Davies,
writes, “It’s a shame that there are precious few hard facts when it comes to
the origin of life … the how part has everybody stumped. Nobody knows how a
475
“I count myself among the evolutionists who argue for a jerky, or episodic, rather than a
smoothly gradual, pace of change. In 1972 my colleague Niles Eldredge and I developed the theory of
punctuated equilibrium. We argued that two outstanding facts of the fossil record—geologically ‘sudden’
origin of new species and failure to change thereafter (stasis)—reflect the predictions of evolutionary
theory, not the imperfections of the fossil record. In most theories, small isolated populations are the
source of new species, and the process of speciation takes thousands or tens of thousands of years.
This amount of time, so long when measured against our lives, is a geological microsecond. It
represents much less than 1 per cent of the average life-span for a fossil invertebrate species—more
than ten million years. Large, widespread, and well established species, on the other hand, are not
expected to change very much. We believe that the inertia of large populations explains the stasis of
most fossil species over millions of years.
We proposed the theory of punctuated equilibrium largely to provide a different explanation for
pervasive trends in the fossil record. Trends, we argued, cannot be attributed to gradual transformation
within lineages, but must arise from the different success of certain kinds of species. A trend, we
argued, is more like climbing a flight of stairs (punctuated and stasis) than rolling up an inclined plane.
Since we proposed punctuated equilibria to explain trends, it is infuriating to be quoted again and again
by creationists—whether through design or stupidity, I do not know—as admitting that the fossil record
includes no transitional forms. Transitional forms are generally lacking at the species level, but they are
abundant between larger groups.”
(Stephen Gould, “Evolution as Fact and Theory,” Discover 2 (May, 1981): 34–37, Source:
Unofficial Stephen Jay Gould Archive, “Evolution as Fact and Theory.”)
218
mixture of lifeless chemicals spontaneously organized themselves into the first
living cell.”476 Also, in his book The Way of the Cell: Molecules, Organisms,
and the Order of Life, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and
Colorado State University and evolutionist, Franklin Harold, writes, “Life arose
here on earth from inanimate matter, by some kind of evolutionary process,
about four billion years ago. This is not a statement of demonstrable fact, but
an assumption almost universally shared by specialists as well as scientists in
general. It is not supported by any direct evidence, nor is it likely to be, but it is
consistent with what evidence we do have.”477
The geologic column upon which the entire theory is based cannot possibly
exist. If it existed the way evolutionists claim, then it would be nearly 100
miles thick. However, the crust of the earth is only 3 – 30 miles thick. In his
book Historical Geology, paleontologist, professor, and Director of the
Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University, Dr. Carl Dunbar,
writes:
[N]o single area contains a record of all geological time, and if it did, the
section would be so thick that its base would be buried beyond our reach;
but deposition has always been going on in one place or another, and we
need only discover and correlate enough of the scattered fragments to
build up a composite record of all geologic time. For more than a
hundred years, the geologists of all countries have been co-operating in
this endeavor and the total thickness of the stratified rocks now
recognized would exceed 500,000 feet (= 95 miles) if all the beds
were directly superposed.478
476
Davies, “Born Lucky.”
Harold, The Way of the Cell, 236.
478 Carl Dunbar, Historical Geology, Source: Ward, In the Beginning, p. 56.
477
219
Where we do find a geologic column of any sort, the top of the evolutionary
geologic chart is missing, the fossils are in the wrong sequence, and some
layers are even in reverse order of how they are supposed to have evolved. In
a 1981 Creation Research Society Quarterly article titled “The Essential
Non-Existence of the Evolutionary Uniformitarian Geologic Column: A
Quantitative Assessment,” geologist, author, and creationist, John
Woodmorappe, writes:
2/3 of Earth’s land surface has only 5 or fewer of the 10 geologic
periods in place … 80–85% of Earth’s land surface does not have even
3 geologic periods appearing in “correct” constructive order … A
significant percentage of every geologic period’s rocks does not overlie
rocks of the next geologic period … Some percentage of every geologic
period rests directly upon Precambrian “basement” [this is supposed to be
the oldest blocks of life] … Since only a small percentage of the earth’s
surface obeys even a significant portion of the geologic column, it
becomes an overall exercise of gargantuan special pleading and
imagination for the evolutionary-uniformitarian paradigm to maintain that
there ever were geologic periods. The claim of their having taken place to
form a continuum of rock/life/time of ten biochronologic “onion skins”
over the earth is therefore a fantastic and imaginative contrivance.479
Thus far the Darwinian theory of evolutionary process is neither observable nor
verifiable. Is it then repeatable? Clearly, if the evolutionary process is not
observable or verifiable, it is also not repeatable. We cannot even discern how
it happened the first time let alone repeat the process. Nevertheless, numerous
attempts have been made to recreate this process, but all of these attempts
have been unsuccessful.
479
Woodmorappe, “The Essential.”
220
The Darwinian theory of evolutionary process is not founded on science. It fails
to meet the scientific requirements of observation, verification, and repetition;
nevertheless, it is believed to be true. It would seem then that Darwinian
evolution is a system founded upon faith.
Not only is the Darwinian theory of evolutionary process not a scientific fact, it
is not even qualified to be considered a scientific theory. It is a hypothesis
which fails even to become a scientific theory as it cannot support even one of
its premises with any tangible, observable, verifiable, and repeatable evidence.
A theory is a hypothesis which has been proven reasonable but has not yet
been proven conclusive. Merriam-Webster.com defines “theory” as
“a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles
offered to explain phenomena.”480 Darwinian evolution has not yet had any of
its major propositions proven to be reasonable. Recall what evolutionary
biologist, philosopher, professor, and President and Chairman of the Board of
the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Francisco Ayala,
writes in a 1974 American Scientist article titled, “Biological Evolution:
Natural Selection or Random Walk?”:
The “criterion of demarcation” which separates the empirical sciences
from other realms of discourse, such as metaphysics and theology, is that
scientific hypotheses are subject to empirical testing (Popper 1959).
The tests are intended to discover whether predictions about the world of
experience derived as logical consequences from a hypothesis agree or
not with the state of affairs actually observed. A hypothesis is empirical or
scientific only if it can be tested by experience. … A hypothesis or theory
which cannot be, at least in principle, falsified by empirical observations
and experiments does not belong to the realm of science.481
480
481
221
“Theory,” Merriam-Webster.com.
Ayala, “Biological Evolution,” 700.
Thus, according to a prestigious evolutionist’s own definition, the evolutionary
process does not belong to the realm of science because it cannot be falsified
by empirical observations and experiments.
In his book Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, biochemist, Senior Research Fellow
in the Biochemistry Department at the University of Ontago, Dunedin, New
Zealand, and Senior Fellow of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and
Culture, Dr. Michael Denton, writes:
The overriding supremacy of the myth has created a widespread illusion
that the theory of evolution was all but proved one hundred years ago
and that all subsequent biological research – paleontological, zoological
and in the newer branches of genetics and molecular biology – has
provided ever-increasing evidence for Darwinian ideas. Nothing could be
further from the truth. The fact is that the evidence was so patchy one
hundred years ago that even Darwin himself had increasing doubts as to
the validity of his views, and the only aspect of his theory which has
received any support over the past century is where it applies to
microevolutionary phenomena. His general theory, that all life on earth
had originated and evolved by a gradual successive accumulation of
fortuitous mutations, is still, as it was in Darwin’s time, a highly
speculative hypothesis entirely without direct factual support and very far
from that self-evident axiom some of its more aggressive advocates
would have us believe.482
Likewise, in the introduction to the 1971 edition of Charles Darwin’s book
On the Origen of Species, the British zoologist and Scientific Director of the
Zoological Society of London, Leonard Harrison Matthews, writes:
482
Denton, Evolution, 77.
222
In accepting evolution as fact, how many biologists pause to reflect that
science is built upon theories that have been proved by experiment to be
correct, or remember that the theory of animal evolution has never been
thus proved? ... The fact of evolution is the backbone of biology, and
biology is thus in the peculiar position of being a science founded on an
unproved theory—is it then a science or a faith? Belief in the theory of
evolution is thus exactly parallel to belief in creation – both are concepts
which believers know to be true but neither, up to the present, has been
capable of proof.483
Also, in his book Features of Evolution in the Flowering Plants, professor,
Head of the Botany Department at Hull University, and evolutionist, Ronald
Good, writes:
The fundamental inherent difficulty in the study of evolution is that this
great natural process involves time dimensions of a magnitude quite out
of proportion to the duration of human life or even to the sum of human
experience, and the observer has therefore to rely on indirect, or
circumstantial evidence. Hence beliefs that are often referred to as
theories of evolution are, more accurately, only working hypotheses. This
is a very important matter because the essence of a hypothesis is that it is
an opinion suggested by the available evidence, but not one which
precludes the possibility of some alternative. A hypothesis may well be
substantiated when more corroborative details are forthcoming, but until
then there is not logical reason for excluding the consideration of some
other explanation of the facts of nature, it is not justifiable to maintain
that no other explanation is possible or permissible.484
483
Leonard Harrison Matthews, On the Origen of Species, 1971 edition, Source: Moreland,
The Creation Hypothesis, 275.
484 Ronald Good, Features of Evolution in the Flowering Plants, Source: Bird, The Origin of
Species Revisited, p. 5.
223
In his book Until the Sun Dies, professor, astronomer, physicist, cosmologist,
first Chairman of NASA’s Lunar Exploration Committee, Chief of NASA’s
Theoretical Division, and founding Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for
Space Studies, Dr. Robert Jastrow, writes:
At present science has no satisfactory answer to the question of the
origin of life on the earth. Perhaps the appearance of life on the earth is
a miracle. Scientists are reluctant to accept that view, but their choices
are limited; either life was created on earth by the will of a being outside
the grasp of scientific understanding; or it evolved on our planet
spontaneously, through chemical reactions occurring in non-living matter
lying on the surface of the planet. The first theory places the question of
the origin of life beyond the reach of scientific inquiry. It is a statement of
faith in the power of a Supreme Being not subject to the laws of science.
The second theory is also an act of faith. The act of faith consists in
assuming that the scientific view of the origin of life is correct, without
having concrete evidence to support that belief.485
Likewise, a 1962 Christian Science Monitor article titled “Biological Origens:
Theories Evolve” quotes professor, astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist,
pioneer of exobiology, and co-writer and narrator of the TV series Cosmos: A
Personal Voyage, Dr. Carl Sagan, as saying, “Today it is far easier to believe
that organisms arose spontaneously on the earth than to try to account for
them in any other way. Nevertheless, this is still a statement of faith rather
than of demonstrable scientific fact. Scientists have only sketchy notions of
how this evolution might have occurred.”
Some proponents of evolution treat the addition of vast amounts of time as an
antidote to the unscientific and unreasonable nature of the evolutionary
485
Robert Jastrow, Until the Sun Dies (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1977), 62,
Source: Gaither’s Dictionary, 706–707.
224
process. Evolutionists Camp and Arms, in their textbook Exploring Biology
write, “The events involved in the origin of life were extremely unlikely,
according to the laws of probability. Given enough time, however, even very
improbable events are bound to occur. … So, unlikely as living systems are,
they had so much time to evolve that their origin was probably inevitable!”486
In the book The Physics and Chemistry of Life, evolutionist, George Wald,
writes:
The most complex machine man has ever devised – say an electronic
brain – is child’s play compared with the simplest of living organisms. …
One has only to contemplate the magnitude of this task to concede that
the spontaneous generation of a living organism is impossible. Yet here
we are – as a result, I believe, of spontaneous generation. … The
important point is that since the origin of life belongs in the category of
at-least-once phenomena, time is on its side. However improbable we
regard this event, or any of the steps which it involves, given enough time
it will almost certainly happen at least once. And for life as we know it,
with its capacity for growth and reproduction, once may be enough. Time
is in fact the hero of the plot. The time with which we have to deal is of
the order of two billion years. What we regard as impossible on the basis
of human experience is meaningless here. Given so much time, the
“impossible” becomes possible, the possible probable, and the probable
virtually certain. One has only to wait. Time itself performs the
miracles.487
Also, in his book The Evolution of Living Organisms, eminent French zoologist,
professor, author of over 300 publications, and evolutionist, Pierre Grasse,
writes, “Directed by all-powerful selection, chance becomes a sort of
486
487
225
Camp, Exploring Biology, 234.
Wald, “The Origin of Life,” 46.
providence, which, under the cover of atheism, is not named but is secretly
worshipped.”488
Nevertheless, time cannot be a substitute for true science. The very addition of
this time is based upon conjecture, not factual evidence. Evolutionists who have
bothered to make a serious and thorough probability analysis of evolution
theory have concluded that time cannot be the Hail Mary answer they are
looking for. Contrary to popular consensus, evolution is not inevitable if given
enough time. The probability of getting a small protein that is 150 amino
acids long is 1 in 10164. This is a 10 with 164 zeros after it. To put this
into perspective, it is believed that the total number of atoms in the universe is
only 1080. Next, we must calculate how many opportunities there were for
this event to occur. The total number of particles which exist and can interact
with one another is 1080. The total amount of time given for these events to
occur is 1016. The total number of events that could have occurred each
second is 1043. Thus 1080, times 1016, times 1043, equals 10139. The total
number of opportunities for a single small protein 150 amino acids long to
occur is 10139, but the probability of this one event occurring is 1 in
10164.489 There simply are not enough opportunities to make invetivable the
evolution of even one small protein that is 150 amino acids long. Moreover,
this is only the first step in a long series of random evolutions needed to create
the most primitive form of life. The odds that just this first step in the
evolutionary process will inevitably occur are inconceivably smaller than the
total opportunities for this evolution to occur when given billions of years.
Clearly time is not the solution to the problem of evolution.
Some respected evolutionists have been honest enough to admit this fact. In
his book Quantum Evolution, professor and evolutionist, Dr. Johnjoe
488
Grasse, Evolution of living organisms, 107.
The author’s original source for this information has been lost. Nevertheless, a similar
argument can be found in a YouTube clip of an Answers in Genesis presentation by Dr. Jonathan
Sarfati (alyosha24601, Staggering Mathematical Probability of Just One Protein by Chance.)
489
226
McFadden, writes, “The simplest living cell could not have arisen by
chance.”490 In his book Life: Its Nature, Origin and Development, biochemist,
founder of the Biochemistry Institute, Member of the USSR Academy of
Sciences, and President of the International Society for the Study of the
Origins of Life, Alexander Oparin—an evolutionist so prominent that he has
been called “the father of origen-of-life research”—writes, “It is sometimes
argued in speculative papers on the origin of life that highly improbable events
(such as the spontaneous formation of a molecule of DNA and a molecule of
DNA-polymerase in the same region of space and at the same time) become
virtually inevitable over the vast stretches of geological time. No serious
quantitative arguments, however, are given in support of such conclusions.” 491
In his book Time’s Arrow and Evolution, medical researcher and evolutionist,
Dr. Harold Blum, writes, “The spontaneous formation of a polypeptide the size
of the smallest known proteins seems beyond all probability. This calculation
alone presents serious objection to the idea that all living matter and systems
are descended from a single protein molecule which was formed as a ‘chance’
act.”492
In the abstract of a 1985 Acta Biotheoretica journal article titled, “On the
Probability of the Emergence of a Protein with a Particular Function,”
evolutionist, Dr. Paul Erbrich, writes, “The probability, however, of the
convergent evolution of two proteins with approximately the same structure
and function is too low to be plausible, even when all possible circumstances
are present which seem to heighten the likelihood of such convergence. If this
is so, then the plausibility of a random evolution of two or more different but
functionally related proteins seems hardly greater.”493 Evolutionist and
biochemist, David White, writes, “Even a vastly simplified version of the
490
McFadden, Quantum Evolution, 84.
Alexander Oparin, Life: Its Nature, Origin, and Development (1961), 31, Source:
Evolution Facts, Evolution Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, “Appendix 10a.”
492 Harold Blum, Time’s Arrow, Source: “The Origin of Life – Evolution’s dilemma.”
493 Erbrich, “On the probability.”
491
227
modern genetic apparatus, requiring perhaps 20 proteins working together,
would have a very low probability of even one copy of each protein being in
the ocean at the same time. If you started with a billion planets like the
primitive Earth and let each of them react for a billion years, chances are that
not one of them would come up with the right combination even once.” 494
And in a 1963 Nature article titled, “Urge and Molecular Biology,” professor,
Director of the Earth System Science Computational Center, founding CEO
and Science Committee Chair of the Australian Computational Earth Systems
Simulator Major National Research Facility, and evolutionist, Dr. Peter Mora,
writes:
To invoke statistical and probability concepts to explain the origin and
continuance of life does not appeal to me when I consider that the
expression and the consequence of life from which we detect the
presence of a living unit is exactly opposite to what we would expect on
the basis of pure statistical and probability considerations. (I refer to the
creation of order on a very complex level.) I do not have a scientifically
more satisfying theory to suggest in its place, and I beg only
ignorance.495
He also writes, “I believe we developed the practice of infinite escape clauses
to avoid facing the conclusion that the probability of a self-reproducing state is
zero. This is what we must conclude from classical quantum mechanical
principles, as Wigner demonstrated …”496
Belief in the evolutionary process is not governed by reason and rationality.
Belief in a literal understanding of the Genesis account of creation is at least as
494
David White, The Santa Clara, February 6, 1978, 13, Source: Kindell, Evolution on Trial,
86.
495
Mora, “Urge and Molecular Biology,” 215.
Sidney Fox, The Origins of Pre-Biological Systems, 45, Source: “These Quotes Reveal the
Credulity Of Evolutionists.”
496
228
probable as a belief in the evolutionary process. Dr. Charles Thaxton earned a
doctorate in physical chemistry from Iowa State University and completed
post-doctorate programs in the history of science at Harvard University and
the molecular biology laboratories of Brandeis University. Dr. Charles Thaxton,
Walter Bradley, and Roger Olsen wrote a book titled The Mystery of Life’s
Origin in which they say:
We know that in numerous cases certain effects always have intelligent
causes, such as dictionaries, sculptures, machines and paintings. We
reason by analogy that similar effects also have intelligent causes. For
example, after looking up to see “BUY FORD” spelled out in smoke
across the sky we infer the presence of a skywriter even if we heard or
saw no airplane. We would similarly conclude the presence of intelligent
activity were we to come upon an elephant-shaped topiary in a cedar
forest.
In like manner an intelligible communication via radio signal from some
distant galaxy would be widely hailed as evidence of an intelligent source.
Why then doesn’t the message sequence on the DNA molecule also
constitute prima facie evidence for an intelligent source? After all, DNA
information is not just analogous to a message sequence such as Morse
code, it is such a message sequence. The so-called Shannon information
laws apply equally to the genetic code and to the Morse code. True, our
knowledge of intelligence has been restricted to biology-based advanced
organisms, but it is currently argued by some that intelligence exists in
complex non-biological computer circuitry. If our minds are capable of
imagining intelligence freed from biology in this sense, then why not in
the sense of an intelligent being before biological life existed?497
497
229
Thaxton, The Mystery of life’s origin, 211–212.
Several evolutionists have admitted that their belief in the evolutionary process
is rooted in their rejection of God and the authority of His Word. In a 1929
Nature article titled, “Adaptation,” Dr. David Watson writes:
Evolution itself is accepted by zoologists not because it has been observed
to occur or is supported by logically coherent arguments, but because it
does fit all the facts of Taxonomy, of Palaeontology, and of Geographical
Distribution, and because no alternative explanation is credible. … The
extraordinary lack of evidence to show that the incidence of death under
natural conditions is controlled by small differences of the kind which
separate species from one another or, what is the same thing from an
observable point of view, by physiological differences correlated with such
structural features, renders it difficult to appeal to natural selection as the
main or indeed an important factor in bringing about the evolutionary
changes which we know to have occurred. It may be important, it may
indeed be the principle which overrides all others; but at present its real
existence as a phenomenon rests on an extremely slender basis.
The extreme difficulty of obtaining the necessary data for any quantitative
estimation of the efficiency of natural selection makes it seem probable
that this theory will be re-established, if it be so, by the collapse of
alternative explanations which are more easily attacked by observation
and experiment. If so, it will present a parallel to the theory of evolution
itself, a theory universally accepted not because it can be proved by
logically coherent evidence to be true, but because the only alternative,
special creation, is clearly incredible.498
Similarly, in his book The Origin and Evolution of Life, geologist,
paleontologist, president of the American Museum of Natural History, and
evolutionist, Dr. Henry Osborn, writes, “In truth, from the earliest stages of
498
Watson, “Adaptation,” 231, 233.
230
Greek thought man has been eager to discover some natural cause of
evolution, and to abandon the idea of supernatural intervention in the order of
nature.”499 Also, in a 1999 letter to the editor of Nature titled, “A View from
Kansas on that Evolution Debate,” professor and evolutionist, Dr. Scott Todd,
writes, “Even if all the data point to an intelligent designer, such an hypothesis
is excluded from science because it is not naturalistic”500
Recall that the rejection of God is a defining aspect of the spirit of antichrist
(2 John 1:7;501 1 John 2:22502). The motivating force behind the
evolutionary process is the spirit of antichrist disguised as the scientific pursuit
of the truth. Romans 1:21–25503 informs us that when men refuse to glorify
God, He gives them over to a reprobate mind which elevates the significance
of creation. Professing to be wise, these men are truly unwise. Men are so
determined to do what they want to do that they will make even the most
ridiculous, unfounded argument appear wise if it frees them from God.
Ultimately, the evolutionary process is rooted in a spiritual mindset. This is a
theory which is promoted by the spirit of antichrist which is working within a
political system that has embraced this spirit. Most people do not accept the
theory of evolutionary process because of the facts, but because a political
system which has embraced the spirit of antichrist is feeding this to people
whose minds are already pre-disposed to reject God.
499
Osborn, Henry, The Origin and Evolution of Life, ix.
Todd, “A View from Kansas,” 423.
503 Romans 1:21–25: For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give
thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images
resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the
lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they
exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
500
231
1 Timothy 6:20504 tells us to guard ourselves against false knowledge. The
King James Bible translates this as “science falsely so called.” These men try to
impose their belief upon us by claiming this to be science and reasonable
knowledge. However, we have just observed that the evolutionary process fails
to meet the standards of true science. This is really a false science.
The evolutionist, Dr. Louis Trenchard More, is quoted in the book The
Creation-Evolution Controversy as saying, “The more one studies
paleontology, the more certain one becomes that evolution is based on faith
alone; exactly the same sort of faith which is necessary to have when one
encounters the great mysteries of religion. . . The only alternative is the
doctrine of special creation, which may be true, but is irrational.” 505 Also, in a
correspondence sent to A. W. Mehlert in 1993, physicist, professor, Director
of BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, Chair of the SETI:
Post Detection Science and Technology Taskgroup of the International
Academy of Astronautics, and evolutionist, Dr. Paul Davies, writes, “No theory
can rule out divine creation. Scientific theories are simply proposals for how
the world is, to be tested by observation. There is no logical impediment to
God creating the universe five minutes ago in its present state, complete with
human memories. In the end a theory stands or falls on whether human beings
consider it reasonable.”506
504
1 Timothy 6:20 (ESV): O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the
irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”
1 Timothy 6:20 (KJV): O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and
vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
Both translations are accurate as the Greek word gnosis is defined as “knowledge,” “science.”
(Strong’s, #G1108, 24.)
505 Why I Believe in Creation (Great Britain: Evolution Protest Movement Pamphlet, 1968),
Source: Wysong, The Creation – Evolution Controversy, 31.
506 Paul Davies, Correspondence Sent to A.W. Mehlert, March 22, 1993, Source: Northwest
Creation Network, “Thermodynamics.”
232
Ultimately, what a person believes regarding the origin of life is based upon
faith. There is no fundamental difference between the faith necessary to accept
the Darwinian theory of evolutionary process and creationism. People are not
convinced based upon the evidence. This argument will not be won by
presenting more facts. Rather, people are convinced based upon whom they
choose to trust. What we believe regarding this issue is rooted in the spiritual.
The Darwinian theory of evolutionary process may present itself as a
naturalistic approach to understanding our genesis, but it is truly just another
prong in the spirit of antichrist’s efforts to undermine our faith in God and in
His Word. It is spiritual in origin. Ultimately, this issue boils down to the
question, “Do we trust the Bible?”
233
Chapter 9
Evolution – Part 2
Special Note:
The author is deeply indebted to Dr. Thomas Kindell for the information
presented in this segment. The majority of this chapter’s arguments are
gleaned from his teaching seminars and from his book Evolution on Trial with
Evolutionists at the Witness Stand. Unfortunately, this book is out of print.
Nevertheless, for those who can find it, it remains an outstanding resource for
anyone interested in studying the subject of evolution. Dr. Kindell’s lectures can
be found at http://nwcreation.net/videos/index.html.
Once it is established that both the Darwinian theory of evolutionary process
and creationism are classified by genuine science as hypotheses, the question
becomes, “Which hypothesis is more plausible?” In the last chapter, we
considered that the probability of a small protein consisting of 150 amino
acids is 1 in 10164 power. Assuming billions of years, the total potential
opportunities for this small protein to evolve is only 10139 power. And this is
but the first in a long series of unlikely evolutions which are necessary to
produce the most primitive life form. Of course, there is also the difficulty of
explaining how matter appeared in the first place. Did it appear from non234
matter, or is matter pre-existing? In other words, did matter come from
literally nothing, or has matter always existed—it had no beginning?
Are these possibilities more plausible than believing that a supernatural being
known as “God” has always existed and that it is He who created the heavens,
the Earth, and all of their inhabitants? Both hypotheses are miraculous in
nature. Both hypotheses demand supernatural explanations. At the very least,
Darwinian evolution requires no less faith to accept than does belief in the
existence of a Creator God.
Scientific law almost necessitates the existence of God. According to Sir Isaac
Newton’s third law of motion known as “the law of cause and effect,” “To
every action there is always opposed an equal reaction:”507 In other words,
every effect must have an equal or greater cause. Consider for a moment the
effects of nature, and what this necessitates regarding the cause:508






507
508
235
Nearly limitless space
o We have yet to discover the edge of the universe
o The cause must be infinite
Endless time
o The cause must be eternal
Boundless energy
o The cause must be omnipotent (all-powerful)
Universal inter-relationships
o The cause must be omnipresent ( everywhere at once)
Supreme complexity
o The cause must be omniscient (all-knowing)
Moral values
o The cause must be moral
Elert, The Physics Hypertextbook.
Northwest Creation Network, “Thermodynamic Arguments for Creation.”





Spiritual values
o The cause must be spiritual
Human responsibility
o The cause must be volitional (possessing a free will)
Human integrity
o The cause must be truthful
Human love
o The cause must be loving
Life
o The cause must be living
According to the law of cause and effect, there must be a cause which is
inherently: Infinite, eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, moral,
spiritual, volitional, truthful, loving, and living. This is a wonderful definition of
what we mean when we refer to “God.” The characteristics of this cause are
not fulfilled by a “Big Bang.”
Of course, someone will respond to God being the cause of the universe by
asking the question, “What caused God?” God, according to the above
definition, is eternal, thus requiring no cause. Those who ask where God came
from don’t understand the definition of the terms they are using. It is like
asking the question, “To whom is the bachelor married?”
In both views, something must be eternal. Either God is eternal, or matter is
eternal. In order for us to exist, something must have always existed.
Consequently, the entire question of origins is not ultimately a scientific
question. It is outside the realm of science and cannot be absolutely proven.
The most that science can offer us in answering the question of origins is to
point us in a general direction, and the law of cause and effect indicates that it
is more plausible to believe that God is eternal than to believe that matter is
eternal.
236
Those who want nothing to do with God reject the implications of the law of
cause and effect. To them, “nothing” is more preferable than “God.” In a
1984 Scientific American article titled, “The Inflationary Universe,”
evolutionists, Dr. Alan Guth and Dr. Paul Steinhardt, write:
From a historical point of view probably the most revolutionary aspect of
the inflationary model is the notion that all the matter and energy in the
observable universe may have emerged from almost nothing. This claim
stands in marked contrast to centuries of scientific tradition in which it
was believed that something cannot come from nothing. ...The
inflationary model of the universe provides a possible mechanism by
which the observed universe could have evolved from an infinitesimal
region. It is then tempting to go one step further and speculate that the
entire universe evolved from literally nothing.509
Similarly, in a New Scientist article titled “What Made the World?” Dr. Edward
Tryon writes, “So I conjectured that our Universe had its physical origin as a
quantum fluctuation of some pre-existing true vacuum, or state of
nothingness.”510 Also, Dr. Paul Davies writes, “This ‘quantum cosmology’
provides a loophole for the universe to, so to speak, spring into existence from
nothing, without violating any laws of physics.”511
The entire question of origins is not a scientific question. It exists outside the
realm of science and cannot be proven. We cannot test the past. We can only
test how objects from the past relate to the present. To conclusively answer
the question of origins, we must first answer the question whether there is a
God.
509
Guth, “The Inflationary Universe,” 128.
Tryon, “What Made the World?”
511 Paul Davies, “Science, God and the Laws of the Universe,” ABC Radio 24 Hours, August
1992, 37, Source: Grig, “The mind of God.”
510
237
In order to prove that God does not exist, a person must be omnipresent to
ensure that God is not hiding somewhere in the universe. He must also be
omniscient, knowing all facts, lest one of the facts of which he is unaware
afford the possibility that God exists. Therefore, to prove that God does not
exist, a person must have some of the very attributes that he is seeking to
refute, but this is a self-refuting argument. It cannot be sustained. A person
cannot prove a universal negative unless he possesses universal knowledge, and
science does not have universal knowledge. As such, science can never
absolutely disprove the existence of God.
If we are unable to prove that God does not exist, then we can never be
certain that God did not create everything. Recall that in a correspondence
sent to A. W. Mehlert in 1993, the evolutionist, Dr. Paul Davies, writes, “No
theory can rule out divine creation. Scientific theories are simply proposals for
how the world is, to be tested by observation. There is no logical impediment
to God creating the universe five minutes ago in its present state, complete
with human memories. In the end a theory stands or falls on whether human
beings consider it reasonable.”512
Genuine science cannot disprove the existence of God. In fact, genuine science
indicates that the existence of God may be probable or even necessary. What
then does genuine science convey regarding the feasibility of evolutionary
process? The Second Law of Thermodynamics says that everything is moving
toward a state of entropy.513 This means that the usefulness of energy is
progressively deteriorating. The energy still exists, but it eventually becomes
useless energy. Simply put, the Second Law of Thermodynamics says that
everything is degenerating, and because this is a scientific law, it is true without
512
Paul Davies, Correspondence Sent to A.W. Mehlert, March 22, 1993, Source: Northwest
Creation Network, “Thermodynamics.”
513 Entropy Sites, “A Student’s Approach.”
238
exception. Einstein declared that this law would never be disproven, and thus
far he has been correct.514
Evolutionary process teaches that there is an exception to the Second Law of
Thermodynamics. Not only is there an exception, but this exception is
supposedly the norm. According to evolutionary process, everything is
becoming better and more complex. In order to accept the hypothesis of
evolutionary process as being true, a person must reject the scientific law of
the Second Law of Thermodynamics. This is ludicrous. There has never been a
single test which has shown something to defy the Second Law of
Thermodynamics in order to become better and more complex on its own.
Rather, every scientific test has consistently proven the Second Law of
Thermodynamics to be true. This is why it is considered a “scientific law.”
Despite these truths, some remain convinced that evolutionary theory is a
viable exception to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. They postulate that
the Second law is only true within a closed system. A closed system means
that it receives no extra outside energy, but Earth is not a closed system. It is
an open system because it receives energy from the sun. According to this
postulation, the energy from the sun supposedly replaces the energy which has
moved to a state of entropy, thus preventing things from degenerating.
In the first place, it is not true that the Second Law of Thermodynamics is only
true within a closed system. In a 1980 Chemical and Engineering News letter
to the editor, evolutionist, Dr. John Ross, writes, “[T]here are no known
violations of the second law of thermodynamics. Ordinarily, the second law is
stated for isolated systems, but the second law applies equally well to open
514
“It is the only physical theory of universal content which I am convinced will never be
overthrown, within the framework of applicability of its basic concepts.”
(Albert Einstein, Autobiographical Notes, 31, quoted in Einstein: The Formative Years, 1879–
1909, Einstein Studies, Vol. 8 (Boston: Birkhauser, 2000), Don Howard and John Stachel, 1,
Source: Wikiquote, “Thermodynamics.”)
239
systems.”515 Common sense affirms this. In order for us to have originally
proven the Second Law of Thermodynamics this law must be true in both
open and closed systems. After all, the experiments which first proved this law
were performed within an open system. Furthermore, raw energy from the sun
is not necessarily useful energy. Simply adding energy from the sun into the
open system of Earth does not mean that Earth’s supply of useful energy is
replenished. Energy from the sun is highly destructive. This is evident in the
way that it destroys things, such as paint. In fact, ultraviolet light will kill singlecelled organisms in less than 1/3 of 1 second.516 How can the sun be the
savior of life in this scenario if it would have killed the first living organism in
less than a second?
In order to be useful, the energy from the sun must be converted via some
mechanism. Within nature, this occurs through chlorophyll in plants. Artificially,
we can construct such mechanisms as solar panels. However, without the
mechanism to convert the energy, the energy is either useless or destructive.
Simply pouring more energy into a system does not overcome the Second
Law of Thermodynamics, and there is certainly no evidence that it causes
organisms to become more complex.
Even if it were true that the Second Law of Thermodynamics is only true
within a closed system, the Darwinian hypothesis of evolutionary process would
still defy this scientific law. The universe is the ultimate closed or isolated
system. If the Second Law of Thermodynamics is overcome within an open
system but not within a closed system, then the entire theory still fails.
According to the evolutionary process, somehow the universe must become
more complex after the initial explosion which formed it, but the universe is all
that exists, which means that there can be no outside source of energy to
515
John Ross, Chemical and Engineering News, July 7, 1980, 40, Source: Gish, Creation
Scientists Answer their Critics.
516 Northwest Creation Network, “Thermodynamic Arguments for Creation.”
240
replenish the deteriorating usefulness of the existing energy. Thus, the universe
could never have become more complex to create our solar system in the first
place. This brings to mind Sir Arthur Eddington’s comment in his book The
Nature of the Physical World, “The law that entropy always increases—the
second law of thermodynamics—holds, I think, the supreme position among
the laws of nature. … [I]f your theory is found to be against the Second Law of
Thermodynamics I can give you no hope; there is nothing for it but to collapse
in deepest humiliation.”517
Just as the Darwinian hypothesis of evolutionary theory defies the Second Law
of Thermodynamics, it also defies the First Law of Thermodynamics. This law
says that energy cannot be created or destroyed.518 Once again, because this is
a scientific law, there is never an exception within nature. Nevertheless,
Darwinian evolution maintains that there was an exception to this at the
beginning when everything first formed. If this is true, then there are
exceptions to what we know to be absolutely certain within the laws of nature.
To make the claim that these exceptions are scientifically acceptable is to bring
into question everything which bears the title of “scientific fact.” If there is an
exception to the First Law of Thermodynamics, then nature could never teach
us why or how this happened because it exists outside the laws of nature.
Science also could not teach us why or how this happened because science
can only observe, verify, and repeat the laws of nature. Thus, if the claims
regarding evolutionary process are correct—if energy was created in the
beginning—then this event was, by definition, supernatural.
Once again, we find that both Darwinian evolution and Creationism rest upon
the same foundation. Both hypotheses depend upon a supernatural event
which cannot be absolutely proven using the scientific method. Thus, belief in
either hypothesis is based upon faith.
517
518
241
Arthur Eddington, The Nature of the Physical World, Source: Bent, The Second Law, 308,
Boston University Physics, “The first law of thermodynamics.”
Biblical faith is not blind. Too many people accept the Miracle on 34th Street
definition of faith: “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you
not to.”519 But this is a far cry from the Bible’s definition. The Bible defines
faith in Hebrews 11:1520 (KJV) using logical terms. Faith is the substance of
things hoped for. Faith is the evidence of things not seen.
One of the most basic logic formulas is the modus ponens argument which
says that if premise A is true, then premise B must also be true. For example,
if a man has one million dollars, then he is rich. Without exception, the truth
of premise A (a man has one million dollars) necessitates the truth of premise
B (he is rich). However, if the truth of premise A is unknown, then the truth
of premise B is also unknown. It cannot be determined to be true or false. It is
simply unknown. For example, if God loves us, then He will do what is best for
us. The truth of premise A (God loves us) is unknown, therefore, the truth of
premise B (God will do what is best for us) is also unknown.
Because logic is based upon what can be determined using the five senses,
spiritual issues are beyond the ability of logic to definitively evaluate. This is
where faith comes in. Faith does not contradict our logic; it perfects our logic.
Faith says that premise A (God loves us) is true even though we cannot prove
it using our five senses. Using the testimony of a spiritual eye witness as
presented in Scripture, this eye witness to spiritual matters is capable of
testifying to—and therefore affirming—the truth of those premises which we
would otherwise be incapable of affirming. This transforms the conclusion of
our logic argument from being an unknown to being a certainty. No longer are
we unable to affirm the validity of whether God loves us and, therefore, remain
unsure of whether God will do what is best for us. Now we can affirm the
validity of premise A. Faith is our evidence for what we cannot see—that God
519
Fred Gailey, Miracle on 34th Street.
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV): Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of
things not seen.
520
242
exists, and that God loves us. Having affirmed the validity of the statement
“God loves us,” we can now be absolutely certain that “God will do what is
best for us.”
Of course, faith does not believe Scripture to contain the account of a spiritual
eye witness for no cause. Faith is a trust in something based upon the weight
of available evidence. We exercise faith on a regular basis. For example, we
place faith in the testimony of eye witnesses to a crime. We were not there to
personally witness the crime. We have no way of conclusively proving the
testimony with our five senses. Therefore, we are compelled to place our trust
(faith) in the witness based upon that person’s credentials and the credibility of
his testimony.
Likewise, we consider the reasons to believe the accuracy of Scripture. We do
not have time to go into all of these reasons here, but there are numerous
good reasons to be confident in the accuracy of Scripture.521 Therefore, our
faith is a reasonable belief. Given the available evidence, there is good reason
to believe that the account of Scripture is accurate, and there is insufficient
reason to disbelieve the account of Scripture.
Regarding the origin of life, every person must determine whom he believes to
be most trustworthy. The evolutionist believes the testimony of scientists to be
reasonable enough to be the foundation for his faith. The Christian believes the
testimony of the Bible to be reasonable enough to be the foundation for his
faith.
In a society where the spirit of antichrist has greater control, the spiritual
blindness to the truth of God’s Word will be greater. The more a society rejects
the authority of God’s Word, the greater will be the influence of a view that is
motivated by the spirit of antichrist—such as the Darwinian hypothesis of
521
243
For more information, see Josh McDowell’s book New Evidence that Demands a Verdict.
evolutionary process. This is what Romans 1:21–25522 teaches us.
Therefore, as Christians, we should not be surprised that our society has
embraced Darwinian evolution, and we certainly should not conform our beliefs
to comply to this view that is rooted in the spirit of antichrist.
The spiritual battle is a battle for the hearts and minds of men. The issue of
Darwinian evolution is a clear example of how our adversary has blinded the
minds of men. This blindness is not based upon facts. This blindness is not
based upon what is more reasonable or plausible. This blindness is based upon
a spirit which rejects the authority of God and His Word. As such, the antidote
to evolution is not more facts; it is the truth of God’s Word. By using the tactic
of revealing this view to be based upon faith and to be no more plausible than
creationism, hopefully we can level the playing field enough to introduce the
truth of God’s Word and to encourage serious consideration of it.
522
See footnote 503.
244
Chapter 10
Transhumanism – Part 1
Humanity as we know it is being fundamentally altered. This is the conclusion
of Dr. Leon Kass in his book Life, Liberty and the Defense of Dignity: The
Challenges of Bioethics. Dr. Kass is a bioethicist who served as Chairman of
the President’s Council on Bioethics between 2001 and 2005. This was a
council which, according to former President George H.W. Bush Jr.’s Executive
Order 13237, was established to “advise the President on bioethical issues
that may emerge as a consequence of advances in biomedical science and
technology.”523 Dr. Leon Kass writes:
Human nature itself lies on the operating table, ready for alteration, for
eugenic and neuropsychic “enhancement,” for wholesale redesign. In
leading laboratories, academic and industrial, new creators are confidently
amassing their powers and quietly honing their skills, while on the street
their evangelists are zealously prophesying a posthuman future. For
anyone who cares about preserving our humanity, the time has come to
pay attention.524
523
524
245
“Executive Order,” 62671.
Kass, Life, Liberty and the Defense of Dignity, 4.
TRANSHUMANISM – PART 1
These evangelists, to which Dr. Kass refers, are commonly known as
“transhumanists.” Transhumanism525 is a sub-category of “posthumanism,”526 meaning “after humanism,” or “beyond humanism.”527 “By
taking humanism further, transhumanism can be defined as ‘ultrahumanism.’”528 It is an abbreviated way of referencing “that which transcends
humanity.” According to the Oxford Dictionaries, “transhumanism” is “the
belief or theory that the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and
mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology.” 529 A more
525
“Transhumanism is a class of philosophies of life that seek the continuation and acceleration
of the evolution of intelligent life beyond its currently human form and human limitations by means of
science and technology, guided by life-promoting principles and values.” (Max More 1990)”
(“Transhumanist FAQ,” Humanity+.)
526 Posthumanism is a term with five definitions:
1. Antihumanism: a term applied to a number of thinkers opposed to the project
of philosophical anthropology.
2. Cultural posthumanism: a cultural direction which strives to move beyond archaic
concepts of “human nature” to develop ones which constantly adapt to
contemporary technoscientific knowledge.[1]
3. Philosophical posthumanism: a philosophical direction which is critical of the foundational
assumptions of Renaissance humanism and its legacy.[2]
4. Transhumanism: an ideology and movement which seeks to develop and make available
technologies that eliminate aging and greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and
psychological capacities, in order to achieve a “posthuman future”.[3]
5. Posthuman condition: the deconstruction of the human condition by critical theorists.[4]
(Wikipedia, “Posthumanism.”)
([1] Badmington, Neil. Posthumanism (Readers in Cultural Criticism). Palgrave Macmillan, 2000.
[2] Esposito, Roberto. Politics and human nature. doi:10.1080/0969725X.2011.621222.
Accessed June 6, 2013.
[3] Bostrom, Nick. A history of transhumanist thought. Accessed February 21, 2006.
[4] Hayles, N. Katherine. How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and
Informatics. University Of Chicago Press, 1999.)
527 Wikipedia, “Posthumanism.”
528 Onishi, Bradley, “Information, Bodies, and Heidegger: Tracing Visions of the Posthuman,”
Sophia 50/1 (2011), 101-12, Source: Ferrando, “Posthumanism.”
529 “Transhumanism,” Oxford Dictionaries.
246
precise definition of “transhumanism” is provided by Humanity+ (formerly the
World Transhumanist Association):
(1)The intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and
desirability of fundamentally improving the human condition through
applied reason, especially by developing and making widely available
technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human
intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities.
(2)The study of the ramifications, promises, and potential dangers of
technologies that will enable us to overcome fundamental human
limitations, and the related study of the ethical matters involved in
developing and using such technologies.530
It is important to realize that not all transhumanists belong to the 21st century.
Authors such as Julian Huxley, Aldous Huxley, J.B.S. Haldane, Irving John
Good, Bertrand Russell, Teilhard de Chardin, F.M. Esfandiary, Abraham
Maslow, and H.G. Wells addressed the scientific and philosophical issues of
transhumanism 50 years ago. Even the renowned theologians C.S. Lewis and
Dr. A.W. Tozer addressed the implications of transhumanism in their writings.
Today, some of the most well-known and influential transhumanists include
doctors Ray Kurzweil, Nick Bostrom, Hugo de Garis, James Hughes, Aubrey
de Grey, Kevin Warwick, and Max More.
“Transhumanism” is today used as an umbrella title to refer to mankind’s
efforts to use technology and genetic engineering to augment itself in such a
way as to transcend the ordinary limitations of humanity in an effort to
become “god-like.” It promises the realization of Satan’s original promises to
mankind in Genesis 3:4–5, “You will not surely die,” and “You will be like
God.”
530
247
“Transhumanist FAQ,” Humanity+.
Transhumanists look forward to a point in time that they call “the
technological singularity,” or simply “the singularity.” This is the moment when
man transcends himself and becomes a new creation. According to the website
designed for Dr. Ray Kurzweil’s book The Singularity is Near, “The Singularity
is an era in which our intelligence will become increasingly nonbiological and
trillions of times more powerful than it is today—the dawning of a new
civilization that will enable us to transcend our biological limitations and amplify
our creativity.”531 In the documentary Transcendent Man, Dr. Kurzweil also
says, “Singularity is a future period in which technological change will be so
rapid, and its impact so profound, that every aspect of human life will be
irreversibly transformed.”532
To be perfectly honest, there is no standard definition of the term “singularity”
among transhumanists. The Singularity Symposium cites Wicktionary to define
“singularity” as:
1. the state of being singular, distinct, peculiar, uncommon or
unusual
2. a point where all parallel lines meet
3. a point where a measured variable reaches unmeasurable or
infinite value
4. (mathematics) the value or range of values of a function for
which a derivative does not exist
5. (physics) a point or region in spacetime in which gravitational
forces cause matter to have an infinite density; associated with
Black Holes533
531
The Singularity is Near, “Cover Flap.”
Transcendent Man.
533 Singularity Symposium, “What is the best definition of Singularity?”
532
248
When applied to technology, this term is used to refer to a moment in time
when technology advances at such a rapid pace that there is no longer any
ability to measure or predict these changes using standard models. This is why
co-founder of Wired Magazine, Kevin Kelly, says that the singularity is the
point at which “all the change in the last million years will be superseded by
the change in the next five minutes.”534 Ethernet co-inventor, Dr. Robert
Metcalfe, says, “You know, the word singularity is a mathematical word. … The
singularity is sort of where the model breaks down.”535 Similarly, Dr. James
Martin, a British information technology consultant, leading futurist, computer
scientist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, defined the technological
singularity as “a break in human evolution that will be caused by the staggering
speed of technological evolution.”536
Tom Abate, a technology reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, says, “The
singularity is the point at which machine intelligence begins to amend itself—
improve itself.”537 Likewise, Dr. Kevin Warwick, a professor of cybernetics
who is known as the human cyborg, says, “Machine intelligence improves,
improves, improves, until we get to a point where—well it assumes control.”538
Also, Dr. Jon von Neumann, a mathematical genius, consultant, and university
professor who is best remembered for his involvement in the Atomic and
Hydrogen Bomb projects, writes that the singularity is the moment beyond
which, “technological progress will become incomprehensively rapid and
complicated.”539
At a meeting of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence in 1982,
professor of mathematics, computer scientist, and Hugo Award-winning
534
Ibid.
Transcendent Man.
537 Transcendent Man.
538 Ibid.
535
249
science fiction writer, Dr. Vernor Vinge, first introduced the term “singularity”
as a means of describing Dr. Irving John Good’s idea of an intelligence
explosion. In 1965, the British mathematician, Dr. Irving John Good, wrote
about the possibility that machines would eventually surpass human
intelligence, saying:
Let an ultraintelligent machine be defined as a machine that can far
surpass all the intellectual activities of any man however clever. Since the
design of machines is one of these intellectual activities, an ultraintelligent
machine could design even better machines; there would then
unquestionably be an “intelligence explosion,” and the intelligence of man
would be left far behind. Thus the first ultraintelligent machine is the last
invention that man need ever make … It is more probable than not that,
within the twentieth century, an ultraintelligent machine will be built …540
Clearly, an ultra-intelligent machine was not created within the 20th century.
Nevertheless, Dr. Good may not have been terribly far off in his predictions.
Today, a vast number of scientists are convinced that an ultra-intelligent
machine will be created within the 21st century, with many claiming the
possibility that it may be created within the next few decades. In his 1993
article titled “The Coming Technological Singularity,” Dr. Vernor Vinge
adjusted Dr. Good’s timeline, writing, “Within thirty years, we will have the
technological means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly thereafter, the
human era will be ended.”541 If Dr. Vinge is correct in his prediction, then
superhuman intelligence may be created within the next ten years.
540
Irving Good, “Speculations Concerning the First Ultraintelligent Machine,” Advances in
Computers 6 (1965): 31–88, quoted in “The Future of Humanity,” Nick Bostrom, Originally
Circulated 2007, Published in New Waves in Philosophy of Technology, Jan-Kyrre Berg Olsen, Evan
Selinger, and Soren Riis, eds. (New York: Palgrave McMillan, 2009), 186–216, Reprinted in
Geopolitics, History, and International Relations 1, no. 2 (2009): 41–78, Source: Nick Bostrom’s
Homepage, “The Future of Humanity.”
541 Vinge, “The Coming Technological Singularity,” “Abstract.”
250
It is believed that the singularity will allow man to transcend himself and enter
into the era of the “post-human.”542 The efforts to produce this singularity
generally fall within two major fields of science. The first is technological. The
technological singularity seeks to merge man and machine to create a “posthuman.” The second is genetic. The genetic singularity seeks to alter man’s
genes and DNA to create a “post-human.” In either case, the end goal is the
creation of a “post-human,” using advanced science.
It is generally acknowledged that the realization of the transhumanist’s vision
will result in a human which has been fundamentally altered to the extent that
its very humanity is called into question.543 The assumption is that these
changes will transform humans into a new species. At the very least, life as we
have always understood it will be radically transformed. Being uncertain of
what this will entail, transhumanist philosophers have applied the title “post,”
meaning “next” or “what comes after,” to humanity.
542
“Post-human I think will be post-biological. By that I mean that it will be a gradual process.
There won’t be any sudden transition to a different form. I think we’ll gradually integrate more and
more technology into our bodies. We’ll be replacing our organs with more efficient organs. We’ll
gradually replace this neural tissue because it dies off after a while. It’s easily subjected to chemical
damage. So eventually I think we’ll replace our brain cells with essentially computerized parts. It will be
much more efficient, much more powerful.”
(TheDejavu434, “TechnoCalyps.”)
543 There is significant debate regarding what constitutes humanity. In the documentary
Technocalypse, Dr. Ray Kurzweil says, “Well, it’s a philosophical issue as to whether this is still human.
In my mind it’s definitely going beyond biology. But I don’t define human as just biological. I mean,
we’ve already taken steps beyond biology. There’s not a single organ in the human body, including
regions of the brain, where we are not already creating substitutes, or extensions, or augmentations. So
if somebody has an artificial pancreas, are they not human? If they have a neural implant in their
brain, are they not human? How about two neural implants? Or maybe you can have up to ten then
you’re human, but eleven, you’re not human anymore. If you have these nanobots—blood-sized robots
in the brain that actually have computers interacting with your biological neurons—is that still a
human? Well one nanobot’s probably okay. How about five hundred million nanobots?”
(TheDejavu434, “Technocalypse.”)
251
Technology is increasing at an exponential rate.544 In 1965, Dr. Gordon
Moore observed a technological trend which has come to be known as
Moore’s Law. Although it bears the title “law,” it is not a true scientific law.
Rather, it is merely an observation which has remained consistent for over a
century. Moore’s Law is the observation that, over the history of computing
hardware, the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles
approximately every two years. This has held true since 1890 when handcranked calculators were used.545 In 2005, Intel announced its expectation
that this trend will continue until at least 2015 or 2020.546 However, the
2010 update to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
predicted a deceleration of this trend beginning at the end of 2013, after
which time transistor counts and densities are expected to double only every 3
years.547
Technological projections based upon the continuation of Moore’s Law have
led some scientists to speculate that a technological singularity may be reached
as early as the next few decades. However, there are other scientists who
believe that this rate of growth cannot continue indefinitely. Professor of
theoretical physics, futurist, and host of the TV show Sci Fi Science: Physics of
the Impossible, Dr. Michio Kaku has said:
Well, can this [Moore’s Law] go on forever? And the answer is no
because eventually physics takes over and that is, physics says that silicon
544
Philosopher and ethnopharmacologist Terence McKenna notes, “Obviously, if we’re
experiencing more change now in a year than we previously experienced in a thousand years, we can
propagate that trend into the future and see that a day will come when we will experience more
change in an hour than we have experienced in the past twenty, thirty thousand years. A situation like
that is unimaginable, so we call it a singularity—a place where the normal rules of modeling break
down.”
545 Kaku, “Big Think Interview with Michio Kaku.”
546 Kanellos, “New life for Moore’s Law.”
547 “Overall Technology Roadmap Characteristics.”
252
is unstable at the molecular level. Transistors get so small, so powerful
and they generate so much heat that the silicon chip melts and electrons
leak out because of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. You don’t
know where the electron is anymore. Therefore, we physicists are looking
for replacements for silicon. The post-silicon era will be about 10 to 15
years in the future. … So we physicists are looking at optical computers,
quantum computers, DNA computers, protein computers, all sorts of
different kinds of architecture down to the molecular, down to the atomic,
down to the microscopic realm, but none of them are ready for
primetime yet.548
At present, there is no stable alternative to standard silicon-based computers.
Nevertheless, serious efforts are being made to change this. In 2005, “Tom
Theis, the director of physical sciences at IBM, said he knows of no fewer than
20 ideas from credible sources for replacing silicon memory chips. ‘It is quite
difficult to figure out a long-term winner,’ he said. ‘There is nothing that is an
obvious replacement for a silicon transistor.’”549 In 2013, Google’s Director
of Engineering, Dr. Hartmut Neven, posted an announcement that Google will
be developing a research lab which utilizes quantum computers, “So today
we’re launching the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab. NASA’s Ames
Research Center will host the lab, which will house a quantum computer from
D-Wave Systems, and the USRA (Universities Space Research Association)
will invite researchers from around the world to share time on it. Our goal: to
study how quantum computing might advance machine learning.”550 Also,
according to a 2012 PC Magazine article title “IBM Says It’s ‘On the Cusp’
of Building a Quantum Computer:”
548
Kaku, “Big Think Interview with Michio Kaku.”
Kanellos, “New life for Moore’s Law.”
550 Neven, “Launching the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab.”
549
253
The IBM researchers said they have established three new records “for
retaining the integrity of quantum mechanical properties in quantum bits,
or qubits, and reducing errors in elementary computations.” Those
advances, presented at this week’s annual American Physical Society
meeting, get the team “close to the minimum requirements for a fullscale quantum computing system as determined by the world-wide
research community.”551
Even the United States Department of Defense has announced significant
breakthroughs in quantum computing. According to a 2014 The Atlantic
article titled “The U.S. Army Says It Can Teleport Quantum Data Now, Too,”
“A team at the lab’s Adelphi, Maryland, facility says it has developed a
prototype information teleportation network system based on quantum
teleportation technology. The technology can be used, the Defense
Department says, to transmit images securely, either over fiber optics or
through space—that is, teleportation in which data is transmitted wirelessly.”552
Furthermore, according to a 2012 computerworld.com article titled “Harvard
stores 70 billion books using DNA: Research team stores 5.5 petabits, or 1
million gigabits per cubic millimeter in DNA storage medium,” “‘The total
world's information, which is 1.8 zettabytes, [could be stored] in about four
grams of DNA,’ said Sriram Kosuri, a senior scientist at the Wyss Institute and
senior author of the paper, in a video presentation.”553
Not only is the computing power of technology exponentially increasing, but
science is beginning to unlock the secrets of the brain. Projects such as the
Human Brain Project, which is funded in part by the European Union, and the
Brain Initiative, which is funded in part by the United States government, are
551
Poeter, “IBM.”
Lafrance, “The U.S. Army.”
553 Mearian, “Harvard.”
552
254
attempting to map the human brain. Many are comparing the potential
ramifications of this project to the human genome mapping project of the
1990’s. Already portions of the brain have been digitally reconstructed, and
the common rhetoric promises that within the next couple of decades, the
neural network of the entire human brain may be fully understood and
recreated digitally.554 It is believed that this would allow for the creation of
computers which could process information intelligently, as a human would.
Author of How to Create a Mind: The Secret of Human Thought Revealed,
Dr. Ray Kurzweil, has said, “I think it’s a conservative estimate to say at this
exponential pace, we’re going to understand how our brains work within
twenty years. We will have this tool kit of how human intelligence works. And
we will be able to create similar systems that work just as well as the human
brain or even better.”555
Already, research into the human brain has led to the development of more
advanced computer processing methods. IBM has “released computer chips
that use a network of “neurosynaptic cores” to manage information in a way
that resembles the functioning of neurons in a brain.”556 Also, IBM has
developed an entirely new computer architecture called TrueNorth. A 2013
MIT Technology Review article titled “IBM Scientists Show Blueprints for
Brainlike Computing: IBM researchers unveil True North, a new computer
554
Dr. Ray Kurzweil says, “It’s a conservative statement to say that by 2025, we’ll be able to
look inside your brain, see everything that’s going on—all the interneural connections, all the synaptic
clefts, all the neural transmitter strings—and create a huge database, and copy down every salient
detail, and then re-instantiate that information in a neural computer of sufficient capacity, and create
basically a copy of the thinking process that takes place in your brain. Now that’s one scenario, but it’s
really an existence proof to show that we can tap the secrets of intelligence that exist in, let’s say, the
human brain. Once we’ve scanned that information, we can also understand it, see how it’s organized,
improve on it. We can extend it. We can make its memory a thousand times bigger. We can make it
faster. We can expand the perceptual capabilities.”
556 Rutkin, “IBM.”
255
architecture that imitates how a brain works” reports, “TrueNorth stores and
processes information in a distributed, parallel way, like the neurons and
synapses in a brain.”557
Despite these significant advances, scientists have only just begun to
understand the brain. To place the magnitude of this project into perspective,
Japanese and German scientists conducted the largest computer simulation
ever run. According to a 2013 CNet article titled, “Fujitsu supercomputer
simulates 1 second of brain activity,” “The simulation involved 1.73 billion
virtual nerve cells connected by 10.4 trillion synapses and was run on Japan’s
K computer, which was ranked the fastest in the world in 2011. It took the
Fujitsu-built K about 40 minutes to complete a simulation of one second of
neuronal network activity in real time, …”558 The K computer:
[H]as a rated performance of 10.51 petaflops per second using
705,024 SPARC64 processing cores. “If petascale computers like the
K computer are capable of representing 1 percent of the network of a
human brain today, then we know that simulating the whole brain at the
level of the individual nerve cell and its synapses will be possible with
exascale computers hopefully available within the next decade,” Markus
Diesmann of the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine at Germany’s
Forschungszentrum Julich said in the release. An exascale computer is a
machine capable of calculating a quintillion floating-point operations per
second, a thousandfold increase over basic petascale speeds. Some
researchers have speculated that exascale computing may be achieved by
2020, but others disagree.559
557
Ibid.
Hornyak, “Fujitsu.”
559 Ibid.
558
256
A key threshold to accomplishing the technological singularity is the Turing
Test. This is a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to—or
indistinguishable from—that of an actual human. The Turing Test was
originally introduced in 1950 by Dr. Alan Turing to determine whether
machines are capable of thinking. During a question and answer session at
Google’s Big Tent Event in 2013, Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, predicted that
Google will be capable of developing artificial intelligence for its programs
which could pass the Turing Test within the next 5 – 10 years.560
Dr. Hugo de Garis, formerly the world’s leading artificial brain architect,
believes that if advanced computing can be perfected—such as quantum
computing or reversible computing—and if Moore’s Law can be sustained until
2020, then computers could conceivably become a trillion trillion times more
powerful than the human brain. He concludes that the computing power of the
human brain is roughly 10 to the 16th power (10^16) whereas computers
could have a computing power of 10 to the 40th power (10^40).561
Dr. de Garis is ultimately semi-pessimistic regarding the promise that
technology truly offers mankind. In his book The Artilect War: Cosmists vs.
Terrans, A Bitter Controversy Concerning Whether Humanity Should Build
Godlike Massively Intelligent Machines, Dr. Hugo de Garis writes:
I believe that the 21st century will be dominated by the question as to
whether humanity should or should not build artilects, i.e. machines of
godlike intelligence, trillions of trillions of times above the human level. I
see humanity splitting into two major political groups, which in time will
become increasingly bitterly opposed, as the artilect issue becomes more
real and less science fiction like.
560
Watson, “Eric Schmidt.”
Hugo de Garis, Interview by Adam Ford after the Singularity Summit in Australia, 2010,
Source: Adam Ford, “Hugo de Garis interview.”
561
257
The human group in favor of building artilects, I label the “Cosmists,”
based on the word “cosmos” (the universe), which reflects their
perspective on the question. To Cosmists, building artilects will be like a
religion; the destiny of the human species; something truly magnificent
and worthy of worship; something to dedicate one’s life and energy to
help achieve. To the Cosmists, not building the artilects, not creating the
next higher form of evolution, thus freezing the state of evolution at the
puny human level, would be a “cosmic tragedy.” The Cosmists will be
bitterly opposed to any attempt to stop the rise of the 21st century
artilect.
The second group, opposed to the building of artilects, I label the
“Terrans,” based on the word “terra” (the Earth) which reflects their
inward looking, non-cosmic, perspective. The Terrans, I strongly suspect,
will argue that allowing the Cosmists to build their artilects (in a highly
advanced form) implies accepting the risk, that one day, the artilects
might decide, for whatever reason, that the human species is a pest.
Since the artilects would be so vastly superior to human beings in
intelligence, it would be easy for the artilects to exterminate the human
species if they so decided. … When push comes to shove, if the Terrans
see that the Cosmists are truly serious about building artilects in an
advanced state, then to preserve the survival of the human species, the
Terrans will exterminate the Cosmists. Killing a few million Cosmists will
be considered justifiable by the Terrans for the sake of preserving the
survival of the whole human species, i.e. billions of people. … [T]he
artilect issue (i.e. should artilects be built or not) will heat up in the 21st
century to such an extent, that it is almost certain it will lead to a major
war between the Terrans and the Cosmists in the second half of this new
century. This conflict will take place with 21st century weaponry. If one
extrapolates up the graph of the number of deaths in major wars from
258
the beginning of the 19th century, one arrives at the depressing figure of
billions, what I call “gigadeath.”
But the population of the Earth is only several billion people, so we arrive
at the tragic conclusion that to avoid the risk of the total annihilation of
the human species by the artilects, humanity goes to war against itself
and kills itself off (or almost).
This “Artilect War” as I call it, will be the most passionate in history,
because the stake has never been so high, namely the survival of the
whole human race. It will be waged with 21st century weapons and hence
the casualty figures will be of 21st century grandeur.562
Dr. de Garis says that he lays awake at night trying unsuccessfully to imagine a
scenario which does not end in his research facilitating the near or total
annihilation of the human race. He is even terrorized by vivid nightmares in
which he envisions his creations killing humanity.563 Nevertheless, the prospect
of building god-like machines is irresistible to him because, as he writes, “In
my heart I’m a Cosmist …” At one point, Dr. de Garis questioned, “As a brain
builder myself, am I prepared to risk the extinction of the human species for
the sake of building an artilect? Because that’s what it comes down to.” In
answer to this, he inhaled deeply and declared, “Yep!”564
562
de Garis, The Artilect War, 11–16.
“The more I think about the longer-term significance of artilect building, the more
profoundly I feel I am a Cosmist. But my mood swings. I will lie awake at night thinking rationally
about the cosmic grandeur of Cosmism, about what these god-like artilects could do, and I feel the
awe. Hours later I will wake up in a sweat, having been jolted out of a nightmare. I see in vivid scenes
the deaths of my descendants in about a century or so, at the hands of the artilects, who have become
so superior to humans that they see us as vermin. The emotional reality and horror of it shake me.
Normally I sleep rather soundly, so I don’t remember many dreams, but this nightmare is recurrent, and
so horrible in emotional terms that it is capable of waking me, despite my heavy sleep.”
(Ibid, 84.)
563
259
Realistically, mankind will likely be unable to resist the temptation to merge
itself with the artilecs, despite the fact that this act would essentially kill
mankind’s humanity. Nevertheless, Dr. Hugo de Garis writes that this will not
prevent the inevitable conflict between those who embrace this technology and
those who do not:
In passing, I should mention that there are some people who feel that the
whole Cosmist/Terran conflict can be avoided by having human beings
themselves become artilects by adding components to their heads etc to
become “cyborgs” (cybernetic organisms, i.e. part human, part machine).
Personally I find such arguments naïve, since they would only work if the
whole of humanity made the transition from human to artilect at the
same rate, which obviously is not going to happen.
There is more potential computing capacity in a [nano-teched computer
the size of a] grain of sugar than there is in the human brain by a factor
of trillions. Incorporating such a grain into the human brain would simply
make the human cyborg an “artilect in human disguise” as seen from the
perspective of a Terran. The Terrans would hate the cyborgs with as
much venom as they would the artilects and would be motivated to
destroy both. Having a human exterior would not make the cyborgs any
less threatening to the Terrans.
Let me try to express this Terran revulsion against the cyborgs in an even
more graphic way that may have a stronger appeal to women than to
men. Take the case of a young mother who has just given birth. She
decides to convert her baby into a cyborg, by adding the “grain of sugar”
to her baby’s brain, thus transforming her baby into a human faced
artilect. Her “baby” will now spend only about a trillionth of its mental
capacity thinking human thoughts, and the rest of its brain capacity (i.e.
99.9999999999% of it) will be used for thinking artilect thoughts
260
(whatever they are). In effect, the mother has “killed” her baby because it
is no longer human. It is an “artilect in human disguise” and totally alien
to her.
Thus to me, the cyborg option will not avoid the Cosmist/Terran conflict.
If anything, it will probably only worsen it, because it will increase the
level of paranoia of the Terrans when they cannot distinguish easily a
cyborg from a human at a distance.565
Humans who merge themselves with this technology will so far exceed
ordinary human limitations that their new capabilities cannot be fathomed with
the unaided human mind. Dr. de Garis writes:
It is not exaggerating to say that there is quite a close analogy between
an artilect trying to communicate with a human being, and a human
being trying to communicate with a rock.
To make another analogy, consider your feelings towards a mosquito as it
lands on the skin of your forearm. When you swat it, do you stop to
consider that the creature you just killed is a miracle of nanotechnological engineering, that scientists of the 20th century had
absolutely no way of building.566
In contrast to Dr. Hugo de Garis’ pessimism, Dr. Ray Kurzweil is optimistic
that technology will unlock the true potential within man and will almost
inevitably lead to a paradise scenario on earth. The road to this paradise
scenario may contain some serious tragedies and trials, but ultimately mankind
will overcome these difficulties. Dr. Ray Kurzweil is probably the most wellknown and influential proponent of the technological singularity today. He
565
566
261
de Garis, The Artilect War, 20–21.
Ibid, 12–13.
belongs to the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame and has received America’s
highest honor in technology—the National Medal of Technology and
Innovation. He is a futurist who accurately predicted the technological state of
the world decades in advance. Dr. Kurzweil is a co-founder of the Singularity
Institute, now known as the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, and is
currently Director of Engineering at Google where he is working on developing
artificial intelligence. He has authored such best-selling books as The Age of
Spiritual Machines, The Singularity is Near, and How to Create A Mind: The
Secret of Human Thought Revealed.
Dr. Kurzweil predicts that the singularity will occur by the year 2045. In his
book The Singularity Is Near, Dr. Kurzweil writes:
We are now in the early stages of this transition. The acceleration of
paradigm shift (the rate at which we change fundamental technical
approaches) as well as the exponential growth of the capacity of
information technology are both beginning to reach the “knee of the
curve,” which is the stage at which an exponential trend becomes
noticeable. Shortly after this stage, the trend becomes explosive. Before
the middle of this century, the growth rates of our technology—which will
be indistinguishable from ourselves—will be so steep as to appear
essentially vertical….That, at least, will be the perspective of unenhanced
biological humanity.
The Singularity will represent the culmination of the merger of our
biological thinking and existence with our technology, resulting in a world
that is still human but that transcends our biological roots. There will be
no distinction, post-Singularity, between human and machine, or between
physical and virtual reality.”567
567
Kurzweil, The Singularity, 9.
262
Dr. Kurzweil predicts that by the mid-2020’s, man will have reverse
engineered the human brain, and by the year 2029, machines will have
passed the Turing Test. Recall that this is the point when artificial intelligence
and human intelligence become indistinguishable. He also predicts that by the
year 2045, man will be capable of immortality via technology. He believes
that mankind will have augmented the human body by incorporating
technology into the body in small, incremental steps until the concept of
human cyborgs is ordinary. Computers will be the size of blood cells and will
flow throughout our bodies.568 Consequently, we will be continually connected
to the internet and to databases such as the modern “Cloud” and “Sky Drive.”
We will be able to access and retrieve any information from the internet
immediately with it being directly downloaded into our brains.569 He also
predicts that by the year 2045, human consciousness can be downloaded into
non-biological entities, thus allowing the consciousness of an individual to live
indefinitely.570
In 2011, the 2045 Strategic Social Initiative was founded by Dmitry Itskov
with the goal of realizing Dr. Ray Kurzweil’s vision of the singularity occurring
by the year 2045. In fact, reporting on the 2045 Initiative, Time Magazine
published an article in 2011 with the provocative title “2045: The Year
Man Becomes Immortal.”571 According to the 2045 Initiative’s official
website, “The ‘2045’ team is working towards creating an international
research center where leading scientists will be engaged in research and
development in the fields of anthropomorphic robotics, living systems modeling
and brain and consciousness modeling with the goal of transferring one’s
individual consciousness to an artificial carrier and achieving cybernetic
immortality.”572
568
Kurzweil, “Ray Kurzweil Explores.”
Big Think, “Ray Kurzweil: After the Singularity.”
570 Ray Kurzweil, “Ray Kurzweil Thinking.”
571 Grossman, “2045.”
572 2045 Strategic Social Initiative. “Technology.”
569
263
This is not a fringe organization dabbling in theoretical science. The 2045
Initiative has received international support, including that of the United
Nations. It has also received serious financial backing.
The 2045 Initiative’s primary project is known as the “2045 Avatar
Project.” The project’s ultimate goal is the creation of a hologram-like avatar
which is controlled by the digital copy of an individual’s human brain. If this
can be accomplished, then man can continue to live after his physical body has
perished. Moreover, he will exist in both the digital and physical world, being
capable of interacting with both worlds. Once he has reached a holographiclike state of being which utilizes controlled matter, he will never again need to
concern himself with the deficiencies and needs inherent to physical human
bodies. It is even conceivable that multiple copies of a particularly useful
individual’s brain may be generated and granted appropriate avatars.
Transhumanists deny the existence of the soul. They equate the soul with
consciousness. In other words, what we term the soul is merely the subjective
processing of the mind.573 Using the Turing Test as their standard,
transhumanists have quantified this. As such, transhumanists believe that the
soul, being nothing more than the conscious mind, is transferable and even
reproducible.
The 2045 Avatar Project milestones are listed on the website alongside a
graphic which bears a striking similarity to the image of Nebuchadnezzar in
Daniel chapter 2. “Avatar A, 2015 – 2020: A robotic copy of a human
body remotely controlled via BCI”574 (brain-computer interface):
The emergence and widespread use of affordable android “avatars”
controlled by a “brain-computer” interface. Coupled with related
573
574
Big Think, “Ray Kurzweil: After the Singularity.”
2045 Strategic Social Initiative, “Avatar Project Milestones.”
264
technologies “avatars” will give people a number of new features: ability
to work in dangerous environments, perform rescue operations, travel in
extreme situations etc. Avatar components will be used in medicine for
the rehabilitation of fully or partially disabled patients giving them
prosthetic limbs or recover lost senses.575
“Avatar B, 2020 – 2025: An avatar in which a human brain is transplanted
at the end of one’s life.”576
Creation of an autonomous life-support system for the human brain
linked to a robot, “avatar”, will save people whose body is completely
worn out or irreversibly damaged. Any patient with an intact brain will be
able to return to a fully functioning bodily life. Such technologies will
greatly enlarge the possibility of hybrid bio-electronic devices, thus
creating a new IT revolution and will make all kinds of superimpositions
of electronic and biological systems possible.577, 578, 579, 580
575
2045 Strategic Social Initiative, “Technology.”
2045 Strategic Social Initiative, “Avatar Project Milestones.”
577 2045 Strategic Social Initiative, “Technology.”
578 Dr. Max More says, “A great number of people who I refer to as biological fundamentalists
have a great fear of moving outside their biology—moving into other bodies, other forms for transport.
These people have a lot of, of commitment, a lot of mythology, a lot of tradition and history attached
to their bodies—our sacred bodies, the house of our soul.”
579 In speaking about this post-human prospect, Terrence McKenna refers to the human body
as “monkey meat,” “Well that is the most tricky question. Are we going to retain the monkey meat?
Are we going to hang onto the body, and through the body have a connection to the rest of animal
nature? Or are we going to become disembodied streams of electrons moving in virtual realities that
are contained entirely in circuitry? I think this will probably go both ways. There will be fundamentalists
who want nothing to do with technological transformation, and there will be utopians who won’t be
able to get enough of it. This is probably the moral frontier where we each personally must make a
stand. How much of the new technology and its reality redefining qualities do we want to take into our
own lives?”
576
265
“Avatar C, 2030 – 2035: An avatar with an artificial brain in which a
human personality is transferred at the end of one’s life.”581
Creation of a computer model of the brain and human consciousness
with the subsequent development of means to transfer individual
consciousness onto an artificial carrier. This development will profoundly
change the world, it will not only give everyone the possibility of
cybernetic immortality but will also create a friendly artificial intelligence,
expand human capabilities and provide opportunities for ordinary people
to restore or modify their own brain multiple times. The final result at this
stage can be a real revolution in the understanding of human nature that
will completely change the human and technical prospects for
humanity.582
“Avatar D, 2040 – 2045: A hologram-like avatar.”583
This is the time when substance-independent minds will receive new
bodies with capacities far exceeding those of ordinary humans. A new era
for humanity will arrive! Changes will occur in all spheres of human
activity – energy generation, transportation, politics, medicine,
psychology, sciences, and so on.
Today it is hard to imagine a future when bodies consisting of nanorobots
will become affordable and capable of taking any form. It is also hard to
imagine body holograms featuring controlled matter. One thing is clear
580
Dr. Natasha Vita-More says, “We will have cyborg bodies. We will have augmented bodies.
We will auto-morph ourselves into whatever vehicle keeps us in existence for the longest period of
time with the most pleasure, the least pain, and the most ease—the most elegance.”
581 2045 Strategic Social Initiative, “Avatar Project Milestones.”
582 2045 Strategic Social Initiative, “Technology.”
583 2045 Strategic Social Initiative, “Avatar Project Milestones.”
266
however: humanity, for the first time in its history, will make a fully
managed evolutionary transition and eventually become a new species.
Moreover, prerequisites for a large-scale expansion into outer space will
be created as well.584
Difficult as it may be to imagine the future as envisioned by the 2045
Initiative, we are already witnessing this future unfold on the silver screen.
Hollywood has portrayed elements of this future in a myriad of films. In
2009, Hollywood introduced the general populace to the term “avatar.” The
word “avatar” originates in Hindu mythology and refers to an incarnated
god.585 The concept behind an avatar is that it is a shell, or an empty figure,
which can be indwelt by another being or consciousness.
In 2009, the blockbuster movie Avatar586 portrayed a paralyzed soldier who,
when connected to the proper machinery, controls an alien body as if it were
native to him. At the end of the movie, his consciousness is permanently
transferred from his natural human body to the superior avatar body. Other
2009 movies include Gamer587 which presented a world in which prison
inmates are implanted with microchips that allow another individual to control
their every move. Using a system reminiscent of Xbox Kinect, users move their
bodies while watching live video footage to control other human beings in life
or death gladiatorial competitions. Additionally, Surrogates588 depicted a world
in which humans are afraid to interact with the real world apart from their
avatars. Continually attached to machines in their bedrooms, users control
robots to operate in the real world as well as digital avatars to interact within
the internet. The official movie trailer includes a robotic voice which explains:
584
2045 Strategic Social Initiative, “Technology.”
“Avatar,” The Oxford Dictionaries.
586 Avatar, http://www.avatarmovie.com/.
587 Gamer, http://www.gamerthemovie.com/.
588 Surrogates, http://www.surrogatesmovie.co.uk/.
585
267
Robotic human surrogates combine the durability of a machine with the
grace and beauty of the human body. With most people living their lives
through their surrogate selves, our world has become a safer place. Take
a seat in your stim-chair, and just with the power of your mind, you can
control your surrogate and send it out into the real world. You can finally
live the life you’ve always dreamt of without any risk or danger to
yourself.589
The avatars depicted in movies during 2009 correspond with the 2045
Initiative’s early milestones. In 2013, the movie Superman Man of Steel590
portrayed the 2045 Initiative’s ultimate goal. In a world defined by nanobots
and advanced technology, Superman’s father downloads his consciousness
onto what is essentially a crystal flash drive. Later, Superman unknowingly
uploads his father’s consciousness into a space ship’s computer mainframe.
This allows his father to appear as a holographic image, complete with the
original consciousness and memories of Superman’s biological father. This
hologram is capable of controlling any electronic device via the computer
mainframe.
Most striking of all is the 2014 movie Transcendence.591 This movie
unabashedly pictured the singularity in all its glory. After Dr. Will Caster’s
consciousness is transferred to a computer, he begins to exponentially advance
the world’s technological breakthroughs. By the end of the movie, he has used
nano-technology to recreate his body, thus portraying the 2045 Initiative’s
final avatar milestone.
589
Surrogates, http://www.surrogatesmovie.co.uk/.
Superman Man of Steel, http://manofsteel.warnerbros.com/index.html?home.
591 Transcendence, http://www.transcendencemovie.com/.
590
268
Hollywood is often a portent of the future. The science fiction of Hollywood in
one generation is frequently realized in succeeding generations.592 Given that
today’s leading scientists are already speaking as if avatars and cyborgs are
inevitable, it is not difficult to believe that there may be less fiction involved in
these movies than we realize. In fact, there are already primitive cyborgs
walking among us.
Dr. Kevin Warwick is the world’s leading expert in Cybernetics and is also
recognized as the world’s first cyborg. This was accomplished through a series
of experiments known as Project Cyborg. According to Dr. Warwick’s website:
What happens when a man is merged with a computer? This is the
question that Professor Kevin Warwick and his team at the department of
Cybernetics, University of Reading intend to answer with “Project
Cyborg”. On Monday 24th August 1998, at 4:00pm, Professor Kevin
Warwick underwent an operation to surgically implant a silicon chip
transponder in his forearm. … This experiment allowed a computer to
monitor Kevin Warwick as he moved through halls and offices of the
Department of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, using a unique
identifying signal emitted by the implanted chip. He could operate doors,
lights, heaters and other computers without lifting a finger.593
This microchip utilized radio frequency identification technology (RFID). RFID
microchips emit a radio signal which can be received at a distance and
interpreted by other devices commonly referred to as “readers” or “sniffers.”
Although RFID chips are becoming commonplace today, they were
revolutionary in 1998. The experiment was successful, and Dr. Warwick
concluded, “The chip implant technology has the capability to impact our lives
592
As an example, consider the article “Top 10 ‘Star Trek’ Technologies That Actually Came
True.”
(Briggs, “Top 10.”)
593 Professor Kevin Warwick, “Project Cyborg 1.0.”
269
in ways that have been previously thought possible in only sci-fi movies. The
implant could carry all sorts of information about a person, from Access and
Visa details to your National Insurance number, blood type, medical records
etc., with the data being updated where necessary.”594
Dr. Warwick expanded his experiments to include bi-directional sensory input:
On the 14th of March 2002 a one hundred electrode array was
surgically implanted into the median nerve fibres of the left arm of
Professor Kevin Warwick. … Professor Warwick was able to control an
electric wheelchair and an intelligent artificial hand, developed by Dr
Peter Kyberd, using the neural interface. In addition to being able to
measure the nerve signals transmitted along the nerve fibres in Professor
Warwck’s left arm, the implant was also able to create artificial sensation
by stimluating via individual electrodes within the array. This bi-directional
functionality was demonstrated with the aid of Kevin’s wife Irena and a
second, less complex implant connecting to her nervous system.595
Other cyborgs include Rob Spence. Having lost his eye in a shooting accident,
Rob Spence replaced it with a prosthetic eye equipped with a camera that is
capable of transmitting wirelessly. Similarly, a 2013 Mother Nature Network
article titled “7 real-life human cyborgs” reports:
Neil Harbisson was born with achromatopsia, or extreme colorblindness …
How is this possible? Harbisson is equipped with a specialized electronic
eye, or eyeborg, which renders perceived colors as sounds on the musical
scale. In other words, his device allows him to “hear” color. He has
become so adapted to this device that his brain has formed new neural
pathways that allow him to develop an advanced kind of perception. …
594
595
Professor Kevin Warwick, “Project Cyborg 1.0.”
Professor Kevin Warwick, “Project Cyborg 2.0.”
270
After a pair of horrific accidents, Jens Naumann was struck blind in both
eyes, but he never gave up hope that he would someday see again. That
dream became a reality when, in 2002, Naumann became the first
person in the world to receive an artificial vision system. His electronic
eye is connected directly to his visual cortex through brain implants.
Unlike with other cyborg implants, which translate visual information into
another sense such as sound or touch, Naumann actually “sees” the
world. Though it has its limits (he can only vaguely see lines and shapes),
his vision has been technically restored.596
Still other cyborgs include Nigel Ackland who controls a robotic forearm with
remarkable precision. “He can independently move each of his five fingers to
grip delicate objects, or even pour a liquid into a glass.”597 And Jesse Sullivan
who “was equipped with a bionic limb, connected through a nerve-muscle
graft. Not only can Sullivan control his new limb with his mind, he can also
feel hot, cold, and the amount of pressure his grip is applying.”598
Technologies designed to augment the human body offer great promise for
those with physical deficiencies. However, the end goal far surpasses aiding the
handicapped. Ultimately, the greatest motivating factor behind this research is
the drive to become gods. Technology promises mankind the opportunity to
transcend itself. Artificial intelligence engineer, Chairman of the Board of the
OpenCog Foundation, CEO of Biomind LLC, Vice Chair of Humanity+, and
former Director of Research for Machine Intelligence Research Institute, Dr.
Ben Goertzel, said, “Eventually we’re going to transcend humanity. Eventually
we’re going to go beyond the whole way of thinking, feeling, existing, and
relating that constitutes humanity.”599 Likewise, in an interview with Wesley
Smith, Dr. Leon Kass said, “All of the boundaries are up for grabs. All of the
596
Nelson, “7 real-life human cyborgs.”
Ibid.
598 Ibid.
597
271
boundaries that have defined us as human beings, boundaries between a
human being and an animal and between a human being and a super human
being or a god. The boundaries of life, the boundaries of death.” 600
Additionally, in his book Artilect Wars, Dr. Hugo de Garis writes, “It would be
nice to be an artilect, a god, a supremely powerful omnipotent being. I could
be such a creature by late 21st century and beyond. It’s possible. It’s not an
unattainable dream. … All I can do here is attempt to convey some measure of
the strength of ‘religious’ feeling that I and other Cosmists will make public this
century.”601 He goes on to say, “The prospect of building godlike creatures
fills me with a sense of religious awe that goes to the very depth of my soul
and motivates me powerfully to continue, despite the possible horrible negative
consequences.”602 Dr. Hugo de Garis also concludes the documentary Building
Gods with the statement, “Can you sort of sense a kind of almost like religious
awe, almost? We could build gods if we wanted to.”603
In his book The Singularity Is Near, Dr. Ray Kurzweil writes, “Our version 1.0
biological bodies are … frail and subject to a myriad of failure modes. … The
Singularity will allow us to transcend these limitations. … We will gain power
over our fates. Our mortality will be in our own hands [and] the nonbiological
portion of our intelligence will be trillions of trillions of times more powerful
than unaided human intelligence.”604 Furthermore, Mark Pesche has said:
Men die, planets die, even stars die. We know all this. Because we know
it, we seek something more—a transcendence of transience, translation to
incorruptible form. An escape if you will, a stop to the wheel. We seek,
therefore, to bless ourselves with perfect knowledge and perfect will; To
600
Leon Kass, quoted in “A Conversation with Leon Kass: Science Doesn’t Trump All,” Wesley
Smith, San Francisco Chronicle, October 20, 2002, Source: Smith, “Stupider and Worse?”
601 de Garis, The Artilect War, 98.
602 Horn, Forbidden Gates, 125.
603 DigPhilosophy, “Building Gods.”
604 Kurzweil, The Singularity, p. 9.
272
become as gods, take the universe in hand, and transform it in our
image—for our own delight. As it is on Earth, so it shall be in the
heavens. The inevitable result of incredible improbability, the arrow of
evolution is lipping us into the transhuman – an apotheosis to reason,
salvation – attained by good works.605
Also, in an article for H+ Magazine titled “Transhumanism as a bridge to
Divinity,” futurist, Belinda Silbert, writes, “What then is humanity? I would
posit the opinion that humanity is the seed of all potential that could flower
into what we have painted as Divinity. The lines will blur. The true revelation
will be that Human and Divine are one and the same.”606
Perhaps most revealing of all is founder and Chairman of the X Prize
Foundation and co-founder of the Singularity University, Dr. Peter Diamandis’,
statement, “And we will become god-like. People don’t like to hear that, but
we in terms of omniscience—being able to know anything, plugging your brain
into Google. You know, omnipotent—being able to control something on the
other side of the planet. Omnipresent—being able to know the thoughts of
somebody in Japan or Hawaii or wherever it might be at any time.”607
The drive to become a god undergirds the philosophy of transhumanism. Not
every scientist who is researching these technologies share in these aspirations.
Most scientists are merely curious. However, the prominent transhumanist
scientists and philosophers who are promoting and defining these technologies
have a deeply religious devotion to seeing mankind ascend to the throne of
God.
605
Snyder, “Transhumanists.”
Silbert, “Transhumansim.”
606
273
Understand that when transhumanists use the term “god,” they are employing
a pagan understanding of the title. Pagan gods were merely elevated humans.
They possessed the same desires and the same character flaws. None of these
gods were unlimited in their abilities.608 Rather, because pagan deities
possessed superhuman abilities and immortality, they were, by definition, gods.
This is a far cry from the Christian definition of “God.” To the Christian,
“God” refers to a singular, uncaused being, who designed and created all
things, and who is perfect in His moral character. The Christian God is not
merely an enhanced human. The Christian God actively works to sustain all of
creation (Col. 1:16–17609). The Christian God is omnipotent, omniscient,
omnipresent, and holy. There is none who is His equal. Man can never
become or supersede this God.
The Humanist understanding of what constitutes “God” is deeply flawed and
extremely limited. As such, he has fooled himself into believing that he can
become a god. In the documentary TechnoCalypse, physicist, Dr. Richard
Seed—who is most known for forcing a national debate on human cloning in
the 1990s—made the statement, “We are going to become God, period. If
you do not like it, get off. You do not have to contribute, you do not have to
participate but if you are going to interfere with me becoming a god, you’re
going to have trouble. There’ll be warfare.”610
Ultimately, pursuit of the transhumanist technological singularity is a quest to
realize Satan’s promise, “You will be like God” (Gen. 3:5). It offers man
everything that God offered man apart from God’s requirements. It promises
608
Recently, there has been a surge of movies which emphasize the mortal and merely suprahuman nature of “the gods.” Perhaps the clearest examples are Clash of the Titans and Wrath of the
Titans.
609 Colossians 1:16–17: For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through
him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
610 baxteru, “Human Cloning.”
274
that through technology, man can overcome the curse of sin on his own terms,
apart from repentance. In fact, Dr. Ray Kurzweil has said, “If you look at the
implications of my ideas, they do have a resonance with some traditional
religious ideas—the idea of a profound transformation in the future, eternal life,
bringing back the dead.”611 It promises that through technology, man can
become his own savior. In essence, this is a denial of Jesus as the Christ—as
Messiah. Recall that this is one of the ways in which we can identify the spirit
of antichrist (1 John 2:22612). These evangelists preach that through
technology, man can accomplish greater things than he can imagine without
submitting his will to God. This undermines the authority of the Word of God.
Recall that this, too, is one of the ways in which we can identify the spirit of
antichrist (1 John 5:10–12613).
The transhumanist agenda is the ultimate display of pride and arrogance. This
is also a characteristic of the spirit of antichrist. Transhumanism denies the
gospel message and is rooted in self-love, covetousness, pride, boasting,
blasphemy, resisting of the truth, ungratefulness, etc. These are all
characteristics of the spirit of antichrist. Clearly, the true spirit behind the
technological singularity is the spirit of antichrist.
611
Transcendent Man.
See footnote 425.
612
275
Chapter 11
Transhumanism – Part 2
Dr. Leon Kass is not alone in his conviction that humanity as we know it is
being fundamentally altered. This is also the conclusion of Chairman and CEO
of Biotechonomy, Juan Enriquez, according to a 2009 Ars Technica article
titled “We Are Becoming a New Species, We are Becoming Homo Evolutis:”
Chairman and CEO of Biotechonomy, Enriquez says that humanity is on
the verge of becoming a new and utterly unique species, which he dubs
Homo Evolutis. What makes this species so unique is that it “takes direct
and deliberate control over the evolution of the species.” Calling it the
“ultimate reboot,” he points to the conflux of DNA manipulation and
therapy, tissue generation, and robotics as making this great leap possible.
… The day may come when we are able to take the best biology of the
known animal kingdom and make it part of our own. This isn't just about
being a bit stronger, or having perfect eyesight our whole lives. All of our
organs and limbs have weaknesses that can be addressed, and there are
also opportunities to go beyond basic fixes and perform more elaborate
enhancements.614
614
Fisher, “We Are Becoming a New Species.”
276
Juan Enriquez is referring to something known as “transgenetics.”
Transgenetics is the practice of altering the genetic material of an organism by
artificially introducing DNA from an unrelated organism. Essentially, the DNA
strand can be cut and spliced together with a piece of DNA from another
organism. By doing this, negative or unwanted genetic code can be removed,
and enhanced genetic code can be inserted. Although many different methods
can be used to genetically alter an organism, the most common is the use of
bacteria and viruses to replicate the altered DNA within the host.
Transgenetics is a subset of transhumanism. According to the Oxford
Dictionaries, “transhumanism” is “the belief or theory that the human race can
evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means
of science and technology.”615 “Transhumanism” is today used as an umbrella
title to refer to mankind’s efforts to use technology and genetic engineering to
augment itself in such a way as to transcend the ordinary limitations of
humanity in an effort to become “god-like.” It promises the realization of
Satan’s original promises to man in Genesis 3:4–5,616 “You will not surely
die,” and “You will be like God.”
Transhumanism, and particularly transgenetics, is rooted in Humanism and the
Darwinian hypothesis of evolutionary process. Among other things, Darwinian
evolution eliminates the inherent value of mankind. If there is no God, then
man cannot be created in God’s image. As such, there is nothing sacred about
humanity’s genetic design. According to Darwinian evolution, humans are
fundamentally no different from the animals. If this is true, then there is no
reason why human and animal DNA should not be combined. Furthermore,
the Darwinian hypothesis of evolutionary process maintains that humans are
615
“Transhumanism,” Oxford Dictionaries.
Genesis 3:4–5: But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God
knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and
evil.”
616
277
merely the result of random genetic code. As such, there is no moral or natural
reason why the scientist should not rearrange this code.
A core tenet of evolutionary theory is that man is continually evolving into new
and more efficient life forms. If science is capable of guiding and accelerating
this evolution, then why should man wait upon nature? In fact, survival of the
fittest reasoning mandates that if science is capable of enhancing human life
and abilities, then we are obligated to pursue it. In an article titled “Genetic
Armageddon (Transhumanism: As the Days of Noah Were),” Transhumanism
researcher, Dr. John McTernan, observes:
The natural progression is to enhance the human race by sharpening the
senses. If the DNA is now understood and can be manipulated, why not
increase the eyesight and hearing? With the addition of eagle DNA man
could see like an eagle. By placing deer DNA, man could hear like a deer.
The same enhancement could be accomplished for smell. For strength the
introduction of gorilla DNA could give super strength, and for speed how
about ostrich DNA! The evolutionists believe they are rapidly advancing
evolution by manipulating the DNA. Many scientists believe they are
enhancing evolution by improving man. Because, through evolution, man
has no fear of God and thus no restraints on tampering with DNA, any
attempts to stop this tampering will be met with cries from the
scientists.617
In his thesis paper titled “Transhumanist Values,” transhumanist philosopher
and director of both the Future of Humanity Institute and the Programme on
the Impacts of Future Technology at Oxford University, Dr. Nick Bostrom,
writes, “Transhumanists view human nature as a work-in-progress, a halfbaked beginning that we can learn to remold in desirable ways. Current
humanity need not be the endpoint of evolution. Transhumanists hope that by
617
McTernan, “Genetic Armageddon.”
278
responsible use of science, technology, and other rational means we shall
eventually manage to become posthuman, beings with vastly greater capacities
than present human beings have.”618 Similarly, Dr. Max More has said:
I think increasingly, we’re going to start realizing that this body is not
sacred. The way we are is not some kind of God-given plan. It’s really a
pure random accident. We take two sets of genes, and we shuffle them,
and something comes out. Sometimes it’s a wonderful product.
Sometimes it has a hole in the heart. Sometimes it has psychosis or
tendencies toward extreme anger, has addictive problems, can’t
concentrate—all kinds of defects. To say, “Awe, that’s normal. That’s
sacred. That’s good.” to me is kind of absurd. It’s just—it’s random. It’s
not a plan there that we’re thwarting. So, genetic engineering seems to
be one of the most moral things we can do.619
Transhumanism—standing upon the shoulders of the Darwinian hypothesis of
evolutionary process—strips humanity of its sacredness. It redefines humanity,
reducing it to the result of random mechanical processes. This begs the
question, “What would be the result if this random sequence of DNA were
altered?” Today the answer to this question is being explored within the field
of transgenetics.
As bizarre as the concept of transgenetics may be, it is a reality. This is not a
theoretical science of the future. It is being done today. DARPA’s Department
of Defense Fiscal Year 2011 President’s Budget included funding for science
that will lead to editing a soldier’s DNA and a project called BioDesign which
includes “advanced genetic engineering and molecular biology technologies.”
Included within this program is an effort to eliminate cell death through the
618
Bostrom, “Transhumanist Values,” Ethical Issues for the 21st Century (Philosophical
Documentation Center Press, 2003); reprinted in Review of Contemporary Philosophy, Vol. 4, May
2005, Source: Bostrom, “Transhumanist Values.”
619 TheDejavu434, “TechnoCalyps.”
279
creation of “a new generation of regenerative cells that could ultimately be
programmed to live indefinitely.”620 In other words, this is a government
research project into the secret of immortality. In 2010, Wired Magazine
reported on this project in an article titled “Pentagon Looks to Breed Immortal
‘Synthetic Organisms,’ Molecular Kill-Switch Included.”621
Editing a soldier’s DNA and researching immortality seem like projects which
belong to the realm of science fiction. Nevertheless, our understanding of
science today has brought to life some of science fiction’s most bizarre
endeavors. A 2013 Daily Mail article titled “Frankenstein-style HEAD
transplants could soon be a reality, claims leading surgeon” says:
It has until now been the work of science fiction and horror films, but
scientists could soon be carrying out complete human head transplants, a
leading surgeon has said. The procedure has previously been performed
on monkeys but recent technological breakthroughs that make it possible
to reconnect spinal cords could see the operation carried out on humans.
Neurosurgeon Dr Sergio Canavero, from the Turin Advanced
Neuromodulation Group, believes the operation would take 100
surgeons up to 36 hours and would cost £8.5million.622
A 2011 Tech News Daily article titled “‘Bulletproof Human Skin’ Made from
Spider Silk” reports:
A Dutch team created a piece of “bulletproof” skin from special, U.S.made spider silk and human skin cells and found that it indeed can repel
bullets — as long as they’re not traveling too fast. The bulletproof skin
showed its superiority over normal human skin by stopping a bullet fired
620
Department of Defense 57, 265.
Drummond, “Pentagon.”
622 Woollaston, “Frankenstein-style HEAD.”
621
280
at a reduced speed. But it fell short of surviving a shot at normal speed
from a .22 caliber rifle, the benchmark for protection for a Type 1
bulletproof vest.623
Why wear a bulletproof vest when a person can make his own skin
bulletproof? These are the kinds of questions that are being asked by
transgeneticists today.
A 2013 CNN article titled “UK takes step toward ‘three-parent babies’” says:
The United Kingdom took a step Friday toward being the first country in
the world to allow a pioneering in vitro fertilization technique using DNA
from three people that could prevent mitochondrial diseases but that also
raises significant ethical issues. … The new embryo will contain nuclear
DNA from the intended father and mother, as well as healthy
mitochondrial DNA from the donor embryo — effectively creating a
‘three-parent’ baby.624
This may appear to be a radically new procedure, but it was successfully
performed in the United States over a decade ago according to a 2012 Daily
Mail article titled “World’s first GM babies born:”
The disclosure that 30 healthy babies were born after a series of
experiments in the United States provoked another furious debate about
ethics. … The babies were born to women who had problems conceiving.
Extra genes from a female donor were inserted into their eggs before
they were fertilised in an attempt to enable them to conceive. Genetic
fingerprint tests on two one-year-old children confirm that they have
623
“‘Bulletproof Human Skin’ Made From Spider Silk,” Tech News Daily, August 17, 2011,
Source: “Bulletproof Human.”
624 Smith-Spark, “UK takes step toward ‘three-parent babies’.”
281
inherited DNA from three adults—two women and one man. The fact
that the children have inherited the extra genes and incorporated them
into their “germline” means that they will, in turn, be able to pass them
on to their own offspring.625
The report that this article references was published in 2012, but these
experiments were conducted over a decade ago. Today these three parent
babies are teenagers.626
Scientists are continually pushing the envelope in their transgenetic endeavors.
The world was once shocked by the revelation that human clones had been
created. A 1999 BBC articled titled “Details of Human Hybrid Clone
Revealed” reports, “Details of the first hybrid human embryo clone have been
released. … It was achieved using a cell from a man’s leg and a cow’s egg. …
But this development will also see a significant heightening of the debate over
the ethics of human cloning and, indeed, what it means to be a human.”627
Likewise, a 2001 CNN article titled “Bush: Human cloning ‘morally wrong’”
states, “President Bush Monday criticized the creation of human embryos
through cloning as ‘morally wrong’ and ‘bad public policy,’ saying the
procedure should not be allowed. ... Bush spoke one day after a Massachusetts
company announced that it had created the first human embryos through
cloning.”628
Today we realize that human cloning was only the beginning. A 2004
Washington Post article titled “Of Mice and Men and In-Between: Scientists
Debate Blending of Human, Animal Forms” states, “During one recent
meeting, scientists disagreed on such basic issues as whether it would be
unethical for a human embryo to begin its development in an animal’s womb,
625
Hanlon, “World’s first GM babies born.”
Mercola, “Dozens of Genetically Modified Babies.”
627 “Details of hybrid clone revealed.”
628 “Bush: Human cloning ‘morally wrong’.”
626
282
and whether a mouse would be better or worse off with a brain made of
human neurons.”629 Also, a 2009 Reuters article titled “Scientists Want
Debate on Animals with Human Genes” states, “A mouse that can speak? A
monkey with Down’s Syndrome? Dogs with human hands or feet? British
scientists want to know if such experiments are acceptable, or if they go too
far in the name of medical research.”630
Chimeras and human/animal hybrids have already been created. In a 2010
LifeSiteNews article, Senior Counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund Joseph
Infranco writes:
The chimera in Greek mythology was a monster with a lion’s head, a
goat’s body, and a dragon’s tail. It was universally viewed by the Greeks
as a hideous creature, precisely because of its unnatural hybrid makeup;
Prince Bellerophon, who was assigned the unhappy task of fighting the
creature, became a hero when he slew it. If we fast-forward to today, the
chimera, or combination of species, is a subject of serious discussion in
certain scientific circles. We are well beyond the science fiction of H.G.
Wells’ tormented hybrids in The Island of Doctor Moreau; we are in a
time where scientists are seriously contemplating the creation of humananimal hybrids. The hero is no longer Bellerophon who killed the
creature; it is, rather, the scientist creating it.631
Combining DNA from distinct species has been practiced for years, resulting in
a vast number of chimeras. A 2011 Mail Online article titled “150 human
animal hybrids grown in UK labs: Embryos have been produced secretively for
the past three years” reports that the United Kingdom has produced “cybrids,”
which is an animal egg fertilized by human sperm.632 A 2000 ABC News
article titled “Spinning Tough Spider Silk From Goat Milk” says, “Turner and
629
Weiss, “Of Mice and Men and In-Between.”
Kelland, “Scientists Want Debate.”
631 Hamp, “Part Sixteen.”
632 Martin, “150 human animal hybrids.”
630
283
his team of bio scientists took the genes responsible for creating spider silk
into the cells of mammals, such as goats. Using those genes, the re-engineered
goats were then able to produce in their milk the same protein that makes up
spider’s silk.”633 Furthermore, a 2011 Guardian article titled “Glow Cat:
Fluorescent Green Felines Could Help Study of HIV” states, “It is a rite of
passage for any sufficiently advanced genetically modified animal: at some
point scientists will insert a gene that makes you glow green. The latest
addition to this ever-growing list – which includes fruit flies, mice, rabbits and
pigs – is the domestic cat.”634 According to the article, this gene is from a
jellyfish. Additionally, a 2005 National Geographic News article titled
“Animal-Human Hybrids Sparks Controversy” states, “Chinese scientists at the
Shanghai Second Medical University in 2003 successfully fused human cells
with rabbit eggs. The embryos were reportedly the first human-animal
chimeras successfully created.”635 Furthermore, a 2011 Reuters article titled
“Cows churn out ‘human breast milk’” reports, “Researchers at the State Key
Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology of the China Agricultural University
introduced human genetic coding into the DNA of Holstein dairy cow embryos,
then transferred the embryos into cow surrogates. … ‘The genetically modified
cow milk is 80 percent the same as human breast milk,’ said Li Ning, a
professor and the project’s director as well as lead researcher.”636 Also, a
2004 Washington Post article titled “Of Mice and Men and In-Between”
says, “In Minnesota, pigs are being born with human blood in their veins. In
Nevada, there are sheep whose livers and hearts are largely human. In
California, mice peer from their cages with human brain cells firing inside their
skulls.”637
633
“Spinning Tough Spider Silk.”
Jha, “Glow Cat.”
635 Mott, “Animal-Human Hybrids.”
636 Fan, “Cows church out ‘human breast milk’.”
637 Weiss, “Of Mice and Men.”
634
284
The line between humans and animals was crossed long ago. However, as
promising as combining human and animal DNA may be, the ultimate promise
to humanity rests in synthetic biology. Instead of cutting and splicing existing
genetic code, synthetic biology creates its own genetic code one piece at a
time. The end result can be a tailor-made strand of DNA which is unique
within creation.
Already “synthetic life” has been developed. A 2010 CNN article titled
“Scientist: ‘We Didn’t Create Life from Scratch’” states:
Genetics pioneer J. Craig Venter announced Thursday that he and his
team have created artificial life for the first time. Using sequences of
genetic code created on a computer, the team assembled a complete
DNA of a bacterium, then inserted it in another bacterium and initiated
synthesis, or in Venter's words “booted up” the cell. In a statement,
Venter called the results “the proof of principle that genomes can be
designed in the computer, chemically made in the laboratory and
transplanted into a recipient cell to produce a new self-replicating cell,”
controlled only by the synthetic genome.638
According to the J. Craig Venture Institute website:
Genomic science has greatly enhanced our understanding of the biological
world. It is enabling researchers to “read” the genetic code of organisms
from all branches of life by sequencing the four letters that make up
DNA. Sequencing genomes has now become routine, giving rise to
thousands of genomes in the public databases. In essence, scientists are
digitizing biology by converting the A, C, T, and G’s of the chemical
makeup of DNA into 1’s and 0’s in a computer. But can one reverse the
process and start with 1’s and 0’s in a computer to define the
638
285
“Scientist: ‘We Didn’t Create Life from Scratch.”
characteristics of a living cell? ... In a publication in Science magazine,
Daniel Gibson, Ph.D. and a team of 23 additional researchers outline the
steps to synthesize a 1.08 million base pair Mycoplasma
mycoides genome, constructed from four bottles of chemicals that make
up DNA. This synthetic genome has been “booted up” in a cell to create
the first cell controlled completely by a synthetic genome.639
This artificial life form is a micro-organism. Scientists remain far from their
ultimate goal to create synthetic macro-organisms. Nevertheless, their goal has
now been proven to be theoretically possible. A three-year feasibility study by
the global think tank, the Millennium Project—together with the United
Nations University, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Futures Group—
concluded in their 2010 “State of the Future” report that international
synthetic biologists affirm that “as computer code is written to create software
to augment human capabilities, so too will genetic code be written to create life
forms to augment civilization.”640 It is believed that mankind will be able to
eventually create synthetic DNA to accomplish its wildest imaginations.
In a 2013 Inventing the Future interview with Robert Tercek, Autodesk
distinguished researcher, Andrew Hessel, shared stories of students who are
actively developing synthetic life forms designed to better humanity. In
Cambridge University, students are creating “super-bright glowing bacteria in
all different colors” with the aim of creating glowing trees to replace street
lights. Other students from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands
developed bacteria that can sense when food is spoiling. They hope this will
prevent good food from going to waste because of expiration dates rather than
actual spoiling.641
639
J. Craig Venture Institute, “First Self-Replicating Synthetic Bacterial Cell.”
Millennium Project, “Update Challenge 14.”
641 LiveLab Network, “Synthetic Biology.”
640
286
Impressive as these developments may be, ultimately, the primary goal of
synthetic biology is not to create trees that can replace street lights and
bacteria that can detect expired food products. The true objective is to
eventually bestow supernatural abilities and a form of immortality upon
mankind. The greatest motivating factor behind this research is the drive to
become gods. Richard Seed has said, “God made man in His own image. God
intended for man to become one with God. We are going to become one with
God. Cloning, and the reprograming of DNA, is the first serious step in
becoming one with God.”642 Likewise, in his book Radical Evolution, American
journalist, Joel Garreau, writes, “The ability to tinker with our genes offers the
astounding promise—and peril—of immortality, which mythically has been the
defining difference between gods and mortals. It also offers the possibility of an
even greater variety of breeds of humans than there is of dogs.” 643 Similarly,
in an interview with Wesley Smith, Dr. Leon Kass said, “All of the boundaries
are up for grabs. All of the boundaries that have defined us as human beings,
boundaries between a human being and an animal and between a human
being and a super human being or a god.”644
Like the transhumanist technological singularity, these genetic endeavors are
designed to offer man everything that God offered man, apart from God’s
requirements. The promise is that through genetic manipulation and synthetic
biology, man can overcome the curse of sin on his own, apart from
repentance. Using transgenetics, man can accomplish greater things than he
can imagine, and this can all be accomplished apart from submitting his will to
God. As such, the end-goal of transgenetics undermines the authority of the
Word of God. Recall that this is a characteristic of the spirit of antichrist. This
transhumanist agenda is the ultimate display of pride and arrogance. Recall
that this, too, is a characteristic of the spirit of antichrist. Transgenetics is
642
TheDejavu434, “TechnoCalyps.”
Garreau, Radical Evolution, 53.
644 Leon Kass, quoted in “A Conversation with Leon Kass: Science Doesn’t Trump All,” Wesley
Smith, San Francisco Chronicle, October 20, 2002, Source: Smith, “Stupider and Worse?”
643
287
rooted in self-love, covetousness, pride, boasting, blasphemy, resisting of the
truth, ungratefulness, etc. These are all characteristics of the spirit of antichrist.
It is important that we be capable of identifying the spirit behind the
transhumanist agenda because the defining debate of the 21st century will
most likely revolve around transhumanist ideology and philosophy, questioning
what it means to be human. Until now, these debates have been relegated to
philosophers and thinkers in very specialized fields. This is about to change.
These transhumanist concepts are on the verge of becoming mainstream.
Soon politicians and even our neighbors will begin to debate what it means to
be human. One indication of this is the fact that many movies and TV shows
have begun to incorporate transhumanist methods and philosophies into their
plots. Some examples include, Splice, The Amazing Spiderman, Iron Man 3,
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Robocop, Elysium, Transcendence, Heroes, and
Almost Human.
Already there are rumblings of how this will affect the politics of our nation.
The Executive Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies,
Dr. James Hughes, has written a book titled Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic
Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future. Also, the
United States government, through the National Institute of Health, provided
Case Law School with a grant to begin developing guidelines to be used in
setting government policy on genetic enhancement. This study questioned what
legal rights and privileges a genetically modified human should be granted. It
even questioned how forensic sciences may be compelled to change in light of
genetic enhancements.
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Christians need to prepare themselves for the inevitable questions and issues
that will arise.645 These questions will be incredibly challenging as they will be
inextricably tied to strong emotions. Consider the commentary of biophysicist,
board member of the American Journal of Bioethics, and former Director of
the Program on Medicine, Technology, and Society, Dr. Gregory Stock, in the
documentary TechnoCalyps:
Our future is not to try and hold back genetic engineering, but to try and
use it in a way that best serves us. If we can—if our children can be more
intelligent, and healthier, and live longer lives through altering our
genetics, why would we not want to do it? I mean, imagine if other
children could live for two centuries, and if you could only live for eighty
years because your parents believed that it was improper to tamper with
human genetics. You would not be pleased with that decision. The same
thing if your IQ were a normal IQ, and all of your classmates were much
much brighter because there had been sort of, some biological or genetic
manipulation that was possible. You’d feel very angry about this.646
645
Futurist, science fiction writer, and editor of the Mirrorshades anthology, Bruce Sterling
reminds us that the rise of the post-human epoch will not solve many of our current problems. Instead,
it may only intensify these issues while adding to them an additional layer of problems:
It’s important to recognize that the post-human epoch is coming. It really is. It’s what we want.
And it’s kind of—you can see it written in the pages of magazines. It’s—the word of the
prophet is on the subway walls here. We really, really, do want to violate human limits now, and
we’re getting closer and closer to the ability to do it. But, it’s also important to realize that this
is not the end of history. It doesn’t solve any of our other problems. It just creates new problems
that are going to intensify. And there’s going to be more than one kind of post-humanity. And
the mere fact that you’re no longer human doesn’t mean you don’t have the same personality
problems that you did before. It doesn’t liberate you from yourself. It probably makes you more
than you were before, not less. You’re not gonna clank and beep like Robocop. You’re just
gonna to have new abilities and new powers. And, you know, dealing with power is
troublesome. If you have more power, you have more responsibility, not less.
646 TheDejavu434, “TechnoCalyps.”
289
When the implications of the transhumanist agenda become openly debated
within our society, it will raise questions which the church has never been
forced to answer. Today’s debates about music, tattoos, alcohol, dress
standards, etc. will soon be trivial compared to what the parent and the pastor
of tomorrow may face. American journalist Joel Garreau speculates about the
near future in his book Radical Evolution, writing:
[F]lash forward a decade and a half from today. Look at the girl who
today is your second-grade daughter. Fifteen years from now, she is just
home for the holidays. You were so proud of her when she not only put
herself through Ohio State but graduated summa cum laude. Now she has
taken on her most formidable challenge yet, competing with her
generation’s elite in her fancy new law school. Of course you want to
hear all about it. It is her first time home in months. But the difference
between this touching tableau and similar ones in the past is that in this
scenario—factually grounded in technologies already in development in
the early years of the 21st century—changes in human nature are readily
available in the marketplace. She is competing with those with the will
and wherewithal to adopt them.
“What are your classmates like, honey?” you ask innocently.
“They’re all really, really smart,” she says. But then she thinks of some of
the students in contracts class—the challenging stuff of One L fame. And
she stops.
How does she explain what the enhanced kids are like? she wonders.
She knows her dear old parents have read in their newsmagazines about
some of what’s available. But actually dealing with some of her new
classmates is decidedly strange.
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They have amazing thinking abilities. They’re not only faster
and more creative than anybody she’s ever met, but faster
and more creative than anybody she’s ever imagined.
They have photographic memories and total recall. They can
devour books in minutes.
They’re beautiful, physically. Although they don’t put much
of a premium on exercise, their bodies are remarkably
ripped.
They talk casually about living a very long time, perhaps
being immortal. They’re always discussing their “next lives.”
One fellow mentions how, after he makes his pile as a
lawyer, he plans to be a glassblower, after which he wants to
become a nanosurgeon.
One of her new friends fell while jogging, opening up a nasty
gash on her knee. Your daughter freaked, ready to rush her
to the hospital. But her friend just stared at the gaping
wound, focusing her mind on it. Within minutes, it simply
stopped bleeding.
This same friend has been vaccinated against pain. She never
feels acute pain for long.
These new friends are always connected to each other,
sharing their thoughts no matter how far apart, with no
apparent gear. They call it “silent messaging.” It almost
seems like telepathy.
They have this odd habit of cocking their head in a certain
way whenever they want to access information they don’t yet
have in their own skulls—as if waiting for a delivery to arrive
wirelessly. Which it does.
For a week or more at a time, they don’t sleep. They joke
about getting rid of the beds in their cramped dorm rooms,
since they use them so rarely.
Her new friends are polite when she can’t keep up with their
conversations, as if she were handicapped. They can’t help but
condescend to her, however, when she protests that embedded
technology is not natural for humans.
That’s what they call her—“Natural.” In fact, that’s what they call all
those who could be like them but choose not to, the way vegetarians
choose to abstain from meat.
They call themselves “Enhanced.” And those who have neither the
education nor the money to even consider keeping up with
enhancement technology? These they dismiss as simply “The Rest.”
The poor dears—they just keep falling farther and farther behind.
Everyone in your daughter’s law school takes it as a matter of course
that the law they are studying is changing to match the new realities.
The law will be upgraded, The Enhanced believe, just as they have
new physical and mental upgrades installed every time they go home.
The technology is moving that fast.
In fact, the paper your daughter is working on over the holidays
concerns whether a Natural can really enter into an informedconsent relationship with an Enhanced—even for something like a
date. How would a Natural understand what makes an Enhanced tick
if she doesn’t understand how he is augmented?
The law is based on the Enlightenment principle that we hold a
human nature in common. Increasingly, the question is whether this
still exists.647
647
Garreau, Radical Evolution, 6–8.
292
If even part of Joel Garreau’s speculation is correct, this technology will have
enormous implications. For example, it could soon be that teenagers are not
only going to a federally-funded abortion clinic without parental knowledge or
consent, but they could be visiting a federally-funded augmentation clinic
without parental knowledge or consent. If these augmentations are ever
deemed to be a human right, then their availability apart from parental consent
will become mandatory. It is possible that parents could lose their children and
even face jail time for refusal to augment their children. It is not difficult to
imagine such a scenario when we consider that it was only a short time ago
that children were taken by the State from parents who chose to educate their
children at home. It is not unreasonable to believe that the government may
consider failure to augment children to be a crime because such a decision
places the child at a disadvantage. In fact, unenhanced children may grow up
to become burdens for the State. Therefore, the State may feel obligated to
provide mandatory enhancement for all children at birth.
Such a scenario is terrifying. Because of this, it is easy to overreact, and
Christians have a history of overreacting to societal and technological
developments. Recognizing this, we should be careful not dismiss all scientific
research into augmenting the human body as being evil.
A favorite argument used by those who tend to overreact is the argument that
a particular development should be rejected because it may eventually lead to
something that is morally wrong or dangerous. This reasoning is commonly
referred to as the “slippery slope argument.” Certainly what begin as positive
technological and genetic advancements can lead down a slippery slope into
error and danger. Nevertheless, this is not sufficient reason to reject these fields
of study as a whole. Everything is capable of leading down a descending path.
A Christian should not be paralyzed for fear of what something may eventually
become.
293
Most scientists do not have sinister intents. They are not trying to eradicate
humanity as we know it. Rather, most scientists are merely curious. However,
history reveals that if something is conceivable, it is only a matter of time until
it becomes reality. There is too great a temptation, and too strong a pull, for
scientists not to continue to walk along their scientific path until they reach its
logical end. Having said this, just because a particular field possesses the
potential to morph into something anti-biblical does not make the entire field
evil. We must be intellectually honest and distinguish where the appropriate
boundaries are rather than dismiss the entire field as being dangerous and evil.
There is nothing wrong with expressing concern that a particular technology
may lead to something unbiblical, but it is never appropriate to label a
technology as already being evil because of what it may eventually become.
Many people have lost their respect for religious opposition because such
opposition tends to construct straw man arguments and is prone to overgeneralization. Many people can respect someone who disagrees with them if
the arguments are based on a proper understanding and representation of the
issue. If Christians are willing to acknowledge which aspects of these fields are
morally or Biblically positive, neutral, or negative, then we can be a relevant
and respected voice within the debate.
Our bodies are subject to the curse of sin. Seeking ways of alleviating the
suffering and trials of this curse is a display of love and compassion toward our
fellow man. This is a way of helping to meet the needs of those around us.
This is something which God encourages. We should never refuse to help
someone in need because “God made him that way.” We use many methods
and devices to help man overcome the curse of sin, such as, reading glasses,
hearing aids, crutches, and clothes. The example of Genesis 3:21648 reveals
that God is not opposed to this form of augmentation because God Himself
648
Genesis 3:21: And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and
clothed them.
294
aided Adam and Eve in their efforts. Fundamentally, there is little difference
between helping a person to regain his hearing through a hearing aid and
helping a deaf person to receive his hearing through a cochlear implant. There
is nothing inherently sinful in this. However, our pursuit of technology and
human advancement must remain within the parameters of Scripture. God has
made man in His image (Gen. 1:26–27649). Man is not merely a biological
machine. Likewise, man is not simply another kind of animal. We do not have
the right to fundamentally alter what it means to be human.
There is a difference between helping man to overcome his infirmities and
“upgrading” man to become super-human. Our infirmities are a consequence
of our sin. These are aberrations of God’s perfect plan for our lives. As such,
there is nothing inherently wrong with developing a means to overcome these
infirmities. (Of course, we should always keep in mind that even though our
infirmities are a curse upon mankind because of sin, they can also be a
blessing because they can remind mankind of his need for a Saviour. We
desperately need healing—both physically and spiritually—and our infirmities
can be an important reminder of this truth.) However, there is something
inherently wrong with seeking to improve upon God’s design for man.650 Man
does not need to be upgraded. God’s design for man is “very good” (Gen.
649
Genesis 1:26–27: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the
livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God
created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
650 God designed man in perfection, but this design has been corrupted due to the curse of sin.
However, transhumanists are not content to repair these defects. Instead, they view any apparently
removable limitation as a design defect which should be “corrected.” Consider, for example, the
comment of Dr. Max More, “We’re all stupid. We don’t think very well. We can’t remember more than
about seven numbers in a row before our brain gives up. We have very bad short term memories. We
can’t think about long chains of reasoning without forgetting where we started. That’s all design defects
as far as I’m concerned. So, is that an enhancement to improve that, or is it repairing a defect? It
doesn’t really matter. We should be using technology to make ourselves better.”
(TheDejavu434, “TechnoCalypse.”)
295
1:31651). This was the declaration of our omniscient and holy God. How then
are we supposed to improve upon what God has already called very good?
Because we are not omniscient, our “improvements” will most likely have
unforeseen consequences.
God has established a barrier between species (Gen. 1:20–27;652 Lev.
20:15–16653). We may not understand why God established this barrier. We
may not even agree with it. Nevertheless, we do not have the right to cross
barriers which God has established. Genetic manipulation which confuses and
intermingles the DNA of separate species defies God’s protective guidelines
and His intent for creation. It is at this point that scientific advances cross the
line and proceed in defiance of God.
Another line which must not be crossed pertains to our self-control. God has
given us a sound mind and a spirit of self-control (2 Peter 1:4–7;654 Gal.
651
Genesis 1:31: And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
652 Genesis 1:20–27: And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures,
and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea
creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds,
and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them,
saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And
there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living
creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to
their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the
livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And
God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock
and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
653 Leviticus 20:15–16: If a man lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death, and you
shall kill the animal. If a woman approaches any animal and lies with it, you shall kill the woman and
the animal; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
654 2 Peter 1:4–7: [B]y which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so
that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption
296
5:22–23;655 2 Tim. 1:7656). Humans should never augment themselves in
such a way that they lose control over their mental processes. It does not
matter whether this control is given over to a machine or to other humans. We
must never relinquish our self-control.
Of course, this is not as easy as it may sound. As Christians, we ought to be
willing to accept the sacrifices and struggles which may arise from our
remaining faithful to God’s Word. It could be that we may not be able to join
in society’s use of certain technologies. This may mean that we can no longer
experience certain luxuries and aspects of life to which we have become
accustomed. This may even result in persecution and ridicule. This may also
cause us to “fall behind” our co-workers and peers, making it increasingly
difficult to find work and to function in society.
Obedience to God’s Word is not always easy. Nevertheless, it is what we as
Christians are called to do. Jesus declares in John 14:15, “‘If you love me,
you will keep my commandments.’” We must trust that God knows what is
ultimately best for us even when we cannot see it ourselves.
Science has boundaries. Not every scientist who is working on these
technologies is attempting to transform man into a god. Most scientists are
simply curious or are genuinely seeking to better mankind. Nevertheless, many
of these scientists have crossed the acceptable limitations established by God.
The ends do not justify the means, regardless of how admirable or enticing
they may be. Whether they realize it or not, many of these scientists have
that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your
faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with
steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly
affection with love.
655 Galatians 5:22–23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
297
furthered the cause of the spirit of antichrist. In the pursuit of their goals, they
have rejected the authority of Scripture, they have coveted after something
which may not belong to mankind, and they have displayed an arrogance
against God.
As Christians, we need to determine where the Scriptural boundaries are for
these transhumanist technologies. We then need to take a stand for these
boundaries and become involved in the debate. Transhumanist philosophers
are currently laying the necessary foundation for future public policy to
embrace these technologies. Right now, some guidelines and laws are being
established regarding these issues, but this is largely being done outside of the
public view. If we wait until these technologies are implemented and utilized by
society to become informed and involved in the debate, then we will have lost
our opportunity to effect true change. Instead, we will find ourselves reacting to
that which has already been established. At that point, it is very difficult to
cause any significant and lasting changes.
Pastors should also begin preparing themselves for the inevitable questions that
will arise as a result of this technology and the philosophy that undergirds
them. It will not be long before people seek answers to the questions that will
arise as a result of these technologies. Where will they turn? How many
pastors today are prepared to answer such questions?
Sometimes it is easy to become so preoccupied with immediate concerns that
pastors fail to anticipate the questions and concerns of tomorrow. However, an
important responsibility of any shepherd is to peer into the distance in search
of approaching threats. Pastors should serve as watchmen on the wall and look
ahead to the future, anticipating the threats and questions which will arise. This
requires extra work and an intentionality in their studies. Pastors today simply
cannot afford to live within a religious bubble.
298
Transhumanism will likely give rise to the greatest debates of the 21st century.
If the spirit of antichrist is truly behind this philosophy, then we as Christians
need to gear up for an incredible spiritual battle. This will not be an easy
challenge, but the implications are too great to risk ignoring the subject.
299
Chapter 12
Dark Technologies
Technology is advancing at a frantic pace. Only 20 years ago, it was widely
believed that the Mark of the Beast would be the Universal Product Code
(UPC). Today the UPC—more commonly known as “the barcode”—is rapidly
becoming an archaic technology. Electronic Product Codes (EPC) promise to
eventually replace all barcodes. According to EPCglobal, “Using a combination
of technologies and harnessing the power of current information systems, the
EPCglobal Network will provide for immediate, automatic, and accurate
identification and location of any item in the supply chain of any company, in
any industry, anywhere in the world.”657
A key technology which makes EPCs a realistic alternative to the barcode is
radio frequency identification (RFID) microchips. Essentially, this is a small
microchip which emits a radio signal that can be intercepted and interpreted
by a device which is commonly referred to as a “reader,” or a “sniffer.” The
signal range of the chip depends upon the size of the chip and whether it has
a battery powering it. Many RFID tags are flat and can be attached behind a
product’s price label, behind the tag in clothing, or embedded within the
product itself. Some chips are about the size of a period on a page. These
657
EPCglobal, “Overview.”
300
produce such a weak signal that they must come into physical contact with the
reader in order for the signal to be intercepted. Chips which can be read at a
distance are considerably larger as they must have a stronger power source.
Not only do RFID microchips promise to facilitate the replacement of all
barcodes, they also promise to revolutionize the world.
In 2006, IBM patented something they call a “Person Tracking Unit.” The
abstract of United States patent 7,076,441 describes this as:
A method and system for identifying and tracking persons using RFIDtagged items carried on the persons. Previous purchase records for each
person who shops at a retail store are collected by POS terminals and
stored in a transaction database. When a person carrying or wearing
items having RFID tags enters the store or other designated area, a RFID
tag scanner located therein scans the RFID tags on that person and reads
the RFID tag information. The RFID tag information collected from the
person is correlated with transaction records stored in the transaction
database according to known correlation algorithms. Based on the results
of the correlation, the exact identity of the person or certain
characteristics about the person can be determined. This information is
used to monitor the movement of the person through the store or other
areas.658
Essentially, this envisions a future where every physical item is tagged with an
RFID chip that is constantly broadcasting a signal that can be read by devices
embedded in the floor, ceiling, and doorways. As these devices read the chips,
they also update each item’s webpage to note the date, time, and location that
the chip was read. In a 2012 Coast to Coast AM radio interview, privacy
activist and co-author of Spychips, Katherine Albrecht, explained:
658
301
United States Patent 7,076,441.
DARK TECHNOLOGIES
[T]his person tracking unit that IBM has patented … IBM went into
considerable detail … the person tracking unit—this idea is that every
physical object that passes through doorways and floors and anywhere
will be tracked. So as you walk through a doorway in the future, they’ll
know the size of your underwear, how old your jeans are, they’ll know
everything in your pocket, they’ll know all the places that you’ve been
because they’ll be able to tell all the other places that those things were
recently seen. It’s mind-blowing. They’ll know who you walked into the
restaurant with, or who you sat with, or when you went to the bathroom
because it’s all going to be trackable through these physical objects.659
Already through Sorensen Associates, a simplified form of this system known
as PathTracker is being widely used:
PathTracker uses state-of-the-art technology to provide quantitative
understanding into how consumers behave at the point-of-purchase.
As shoppers enter the store and select their shopping cart or basket,
tracking begins. Although visual observation is possible, the Sorensen
method focuses on the movement of the shopper as evidenced by the
movement of her cart/basket. Using state-of-the-art technology (Local
Positioning System or LPS), the position of the cart/basket is tracked
continuously as it proceeds through the store. The speed of the cart, as
well as every pause is tracked continuously.
The path taken and stops made (location and duration), become a
database for each shopper tracked. Through statistical and graphical
analysis a total picture of store traffic, as well as the activity of individual
shoppers emerges.
659
Albrecht, “Privacy and Tracking.”
302
In addition, every actual purchase made can be tied to the specific
shopper’s path, allowing analysis on a specific brand and item level.660
As of 2007, PathTracker’s client list includes: Wal-Mart Stores, K-Mart
Discount Stores, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sam’s Club, Target, Best Buy,
CompUSA, Office Depot, Office Max, MicroCenter, Staples, The Home
Depot, Lowe’s, True Value Hardware, Specialty Stores, CVS, Eckerd’s Stores,
Long’s Drug Stores, Osco Stores, Rite-Aid Stores, Walgreen’s Stores, 7-11
Stores, Arco AM/PM, Circle K Stores, Citgo Food Marts, Chevron Food
Marts, Exxon, Holiday, Shell Food Mart, Sunoco A Plus, Texaco Food Marts,
White Hen Pantry, A&P, Albertson’s, Bi-Lo, Bigg’s, Carnival, Cub Foods,
Dahl’s Food Markets, Dominick’s Finer Foods, Famer Jack, Food Lion, Fry’s
Food Stores, Genuardi’s, Giant Foods, Hen House Markets, Hy-Vee Food
Stores, IGA Supermarkets, Jewel Food Stores, King Soopers, Kohl’s Food
Stores, The Kroger Co., Meijer’s, Minyards Food Stores, Pavillion’s, Pick ‘N
Save Stores, Price Chopper, Rainbow Foods, Randall’s Stores, Sack ‘N Save,
Safeway Stores, Schnuck’s Markets, Bread & Circus Stores, Fruitful Yield,
Harry’s Famers Markets Hi-Health Stores, Lassen’s Health Foods, Nature’s
Pantry, PCC Natural, Wild Oats Markets, Whole Foods. This system is even
being used in daycare organizations, schools, colleges, skating rinks, and
parks.661
The information gathered is incredibly valuable to companies who wish to
more precisely target the consumer. This technology can also be combined
with other technology such as “The Automated Activity of Shoppers in a
Market.” Privacy activists Dr. Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre write in their
book Spychips:
660
661
303
Albrecht, “Spychips: Laying the groundwork,” 34.
Ibid, 35.
DARK TECHNOLOGIES
In December 2003, NCR was granted a patent for an invention they call
AUTOMATED MONITORING OF ACTIVTY OF SHOPPERS IN A
MARKET. Reminiscent of Procter & Gamble’s plans, here NCR describes
an unbelievably detailed strategy to watch shoppers’ every move in the
store aisle, recording their activities on a moment-by-moment basis and
making a record of everything they do—down to the split second.
NCR’s scheme starts with RFID tags on every product in the store and
reader devices hidden in every shelf and grocery cart. These are in turn
connected to a vast, silently watching computerized spy network that
waits for a shopper to lift an item from a shelf, rather like a spider waits
for a tug on its web to indicate that its next meal has arrived.
When an unsuspecting customer does lift an item from a shelf, say a can
of corn, the system kicks into surveillance gear, timing precisely how
many seconds the shopper holds the item before either putting it back on
the shelf or placing it in her shopping basket … Based on the recorded
positions of the can of corn and the time at each position, the system
makes inferences about shopper activity. For example, if the can is
removed from the shelf but not immediately placed in the basket, the
system could interpret that the customer was reading the label before
deciding to purchase it. Likewise, if the can was put back on the shelf and
a competing brand was later selected and put into the cart, the system
could infer that the consumer preferred the competing brand.662
IBM suggests using its Person Tracking Unit to identify and track people in,
“shopping malls, airports, train stations, bus stations, elevators, trains,
airplanes, restrooms, sports arenas, libraries, theaters, museums, etc.”663 It is
even possible to track individuals with this system when they are outdoors. The
662
663
Albrecht, Spychips, 64–65.
United States Patent 7,076,441.
304
company EnOcean Alliance has developed an RFID reading device which
utilizes “energy created from slight changes in motion, pressure, light,
temperature or vibration.”664 As such, these devices could be attached to trees
where they would be powered by the wind and the vibrations of the tree. In
such a system, virtually every movement and every purchase could be
monitored and recorded in a massive database.
IBM’s Person Tracking Unit is restricted primarily by its ability to successfully
place reading devices everywhere, which is no longer a problem thanks to a
company called Chamtech. Chamtech Enterprises endeavored to provide a
solution to the military’s problem of getting antennae onto the battlefield to
transmit messages for special operations. Antennae are too large and bulky for
special operations to effectively carry them onto the battlefield and to conceal.
Using nano-technology, Chamtech developed wireless transmitters which can
literally be sprayed onto most surfaces. In a video presentation of the product,
Chamtech’s co-founder, Anthony Sutera, declared, “We have come up with a
material that when you spray it on, it lays out just in the right pattern and all
of these little capacitors charge and discharge extremely quickly in real time
and they don't create any heat.”665
Chamtech has proposed that this product could be used to replace cell phone
towers by simply spraying walls, to increase the efficiency of electric motors
and of the power grid, or to turn the road lines along highways into broadband
wireless internet transmitters.666 Already this technology is powerful enough to
transmit to airplanes which are flying miles overhead, and some people
question whether this technology could eventually be used to transmit to
satellites. Not only is this technology more convenient and virtually invisible,
but it is also significantly more powerful than standard antennae. Chamtech’s
664
EnOcean Alliance, “Energy Harvesting.”
solve for x, “Solve for X.”
666 Ibid.
665
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DARK TECHNOLOGIES
initial test was to spray a tree in the forest, thus converting the tree into a
wireless transmitter. The tree became a more effective transmitter than the
military’s highest quality antenna. In another test, within 5 minutes of spraying
a tree, Chamtech was able to transmit via VHF to an airplane flying overhead
at 14 miles. This is double the range of a standard antenna on the ground.
Another test used an airplane which simulates a UAV (unmanned aerial
vehicle) payload that transmitted using a VHF communications link and also a
microwave data link using two standard antennae that were mounted onto the
plane. After spraying a piece of tape on the bottom of the platform, Chamtech
was able to get a 300% better range out of both links. In an additional test,
Chamtech sprayed its wireless antenna over the existing antenna on a one
mille-watt RFID tag. This increased the readable range of the tag from 5 feet
to 700 feet. The goal of this test was to allow the tag to be read by an
airplane overhead.
This technology even increases the transmission of underwater antennae. A
standard antenna which could transmit 100 feet when submerged at
periscope depth could transmit over 1 nautical mile after being sprayed by
Chamtech.667
Using this technology, almost anything can become an RFID reader and
transmitter. Walls, telephone poles, sidewalks, trees, etc. can all be converted
into something which continuously monitors every RFID device. Recall that the
goal is to place RFID tags in absolutely everything.
IBM’s Person Tracking Unit can even be used to provide targeted advertising
reminiscent of Minority Report.668 According to IBM’s patent:
667
Ibid.
Minority Report is a futuristic movie that was created in 2002. It depicts a world where
people are pre-emptively arrested for crimes that they will commit in the future. These crimes are
foreseen by three genetically engineered humans known as “Pre-Cogs.” The movie depicts many
advanced technologies, including targeted advertising.
668
306
For example, if the person is carrying a baby bottle, a store advertisement
system may be configured to advertise diapers while the person is passing
a particular display device in the store. If the person is carrying a man’s
wallet, the store advertisement system may be configured to advertise
razor blades and shaving cream while the person is passing through a
particular display device in the store. Obviously, numerous examples are
possible.669
In an NCR promotional piece titled “50 Ideas for Revolutionizing the Store
through RFID,” idea number 32 proposed, “Dynamic pricing. RFID can be
used in conjunction with electronic shelf labels to automate pricing based on
the number of items on the shelf. . . . For example . . . when certain popular
items were in short supply (e.g., at Christmas time), the price can be
automatically raised.”670
Companies repeatedly inform consumers that these technologies and programs
are being implemented to help the shopper. Clearly the shopper is not the
number one beneficiary. These technologies have very little to do with the
convenience of the shopper. They are designed to save companies money and
to allow for more efficient methods of advertising.
The NCR idea number 34 proposed, “With RFIDs on loyalty cards to identify
the customer and a customer shopping history database, items could be priced
differently depending on characteristics of the person who was buying
them.”671 This too is already happening. According to a 2005 CNN article
titled “Web sites change prices based on customer’s habits”:
(Minority Report, http://www.zeestudio.tv/movies/minority-report/.)
669 United States Patent 7,076,441.
670 “50 Ideas for Revolutionizing the Store through RFID,” NCR Corporation, November
2003, Source: Albrecht, Spychips, 79.
671 “50 Ideas for Revolutionizing the Store through RFID,” NCR Corporation, Nov. 2003,
Source: Albrecht, Spychips, 74.
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So when you buy an airplane ticket or a DVD online, you may pay a higher
— or lower — price than another customer buying the very same item from
the very same site. Why? Because the information the site has compiled on
you suggests that you may be willing to pay more — or less — than others for
that item. Or, perhaps, because the company is conducting random price tests
to figure out what the ideal price point is for its product. … But the same
person, buying a plane ticket online, may not realize that her high wages and
pricey lifestyle are translating into pricey plane tickets. … Online, then, her
Armani lifestyle may mean she pays an Armani-style price for the very same
ticket others are getting at a Target-style discount. She may not even know
this is occurring, let alone be able to control the process in any way. … The
reality is that Internet price customization does exist … In September 2000,
Amazon.com outraged some customers when its own price discrimination was
revealed. One buyer reportedly deleted the cookies on his computer that
identified him as a regular Amazon customer. The result? He watched the
price of a DVD offered to him for sale drop from $26.24 to $22.74. …
Consumers also discovered in 2000 that Amazon was using dynamic pricing
when customers comparing prices on a ‘bargain-hunter’ Web site discovered
that Amazon was randomly offering the Diamond Rio MP3 player for up to
$51 less than its usual $233.95 price.672
In 2000, Proctor and Gamble along with MIT created a prototype store of
the future and house of the future in Cambridge, England to showcase RFID’s
potential. In a promotional piece entitled “Imagine the House and Store of the
Future,” they write about: “Shelves that know what they contain,” “Shopping
carts that know what they contain,” “Floor tiles that track products and carts
around the store,” and a "TV that shows you advertising based on what you
672
Ramasastry, “Web sites change prices.”
308
buy and what you are about to run out of, using information from your
refrigerator.”673
According to an article titled “Inside P&G Brands: A Chip in the Shopping
Cart:”
Let’s say [an RFID tag is] positioned on the bottom of a bottle of
Coca Cola. As soon as we take it out of the refrigerator, the fridge
will know that the Coke supply has run out and it will inform the
supermarket via Internet that they need to re-supply your home. Or,
if you prefer to do things on your own, the Coke will be
automatically added to the shopping list displayed on the electronic
blackboard in the kitchen. At this instant, as if by magic, the
publicity of Pepsi Cola will appear on the home TV screens.
Because your intelligent refrigerator has communicated with your
intelligent TV set.674
To entice people “to play this little game” of allowing competing companies
this power of targeted advertising, Proctor and Gamble suggest giving away
television sets.675
In their book Spychips, privacy activists Dr. Katherine Albrecht and Liz
McIntyre write:
Companies like Philips also have visions of washing machines that
monitor spychipped clothes, microwave ovens that read tags on frozen
673
“Imagine…the House and the Store of the Future,” Proctor and Gamble, Source: Albrecht,
Spychips, 60–61.
674 “Inside P&G Brands: A Chip in the Shopping Cart,” Source: Albrecht, Spychips, 61.
675 “Imagine…the House and the Store of the Future,” Proctor and Gamble, Source: Albrecht,
Spychips, 60–61.
675 “Inside P&G Brands: A Chip in the Shopping Cart,” Source: Albrecht, Spychips, 241.
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entrees to automatically set cook times, and even refrigerators that keep
tabs on what you're eating. In fact, monitoring your family’s food
consumption is a recurring theme for the spychippers. UC Berkeley
adjunct marketing professor Peter Sealey predicts that some day this
ability will allow companies to “precisely target individuals” with
personalized ads: “[W]e could measure whether we delivered the
commercial to you, and, as I am monitoring your pantry, whether you
bought the product, too.”676
The developing smart home will become increasingly more connected, and all
of this information will be shared with the power company via a device termed
“the smart meter.” A smart meter allows the power company to monitor the
consumer’s power consumption in real time and also allows the power
company to override the customer’s power settings. For example, if a
particular area’s power grid is experiencing a strain—such as during times of
excessive heat—the power company can regulate smart appliances and can
even cut off the electricity altogether.
Already this is happening. During a 2009 Coast to Coast AM interview,
Katherine Albrecht reported:
Right now, in the city of Austin, Texas, in the city of Boulder, Colorado,
they’ve been testing this out. I’ve actually spoken to people in Austin,
Texas. I do a daily radio show that broadcasts in Austin. And I had
people calling in saying that they had signed up, really without
understanding what it was, for these new smart thermostats. Well, what
676
Albrecht, Spychips, 91–92.
Sources Referenced:
- Carloyn Ramsey, Catan, “Machine Readable Label Reader System…”
- Bob Violino, “Merloni Unveils RFID Applications,” RFID Journal, April 4, 2003,
http://www.rfidjournal.com/articles/view?369.
- Michael Gershberg, “U.S. Advertisers Go Digital to Track Ads,” Reuters, August 18, 2004.
310
they do is they give you what they claim is a several hundred dollar
thermostat—this high tech thermostat. You install it onto your air
conditioner or heating system. And what it gives the power company the
option of doing is shutting off your power, or shutting off the power to
that appliance in times of high energy loading. And what these folks were
promised was that, “Don’t worry, we’ll only shut it off three or four
minutes an hour, maybe max ten minutes an hour.” And I was hearing
from people calling in saying, “I had no idea what I was signing up for.
They would shut off my air conditioner for three, four, five hours at a
time, and my house was hitting one hundred and ten degrees. … They’ve
come out with smart appliances. I’ll give you an example. In Houston,
starting next month, Houston’s Center Point Energy is going to install
more than two million smart meters in people’s homes over the next five
years. Two million of these things are going to go into place in Houston.
Now what this enables the company to do is to monitor the cycling of
your power in real time. So they’ll know, for example, that you’re a
person who tends to use a lot of energy between the hours of three and
five in the afternoon. Thus, you’re probably not working a standard nine
to five job. And maybe, at that point, they may want to say—they may
send you something saying, “Hey, we’d like to know how you’re using
that energy at that time. Why don’t you install this new smart appliance,
or this new smart toaster, or whatever it might be, so that we can actually
monitor that. And we’re going to put you in charge. Don’t worry. You’ll
be able to manage all of this through your own online system. Of course,
we will too. But that’s the idea. Now in a trial that they did in Houston of
this system, they had several hundred households participate by installing
these special Whirlpool dryers. Right, looks like a plain old dryer, you
plug into the wall, but it was two-way operated. And at times when the
system was getting overloaded during the day, they would send a signal to
311
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these dryers to tell them to continue running, but to turn off the heat and
just air fluff for a while.677
For years, stores have used loyalty cards to gather information on shopper’s
habits and preferences. Most of these loyalty cards contain embedded RFID
chips. According to a 2013 Wall Street Journal article titled “How the Insurer
Knows You Just Stocked Up on Ice Cream and Beer,” stores have begun
selling customers’ shopping records to insurance companies. The article begins
by saying, “Your company already knows whether you have been taking your
meds, getting your teeth cleaned and going for regular medical checkups. Now
some employers or their insurance companies are tracking what staffers eat,
where they shop and how much weight they are putting on — and taking
action to keep them in line.” It goes on to say, “Marketing firms have sold this
data to retailers and credit-card companies for years, and health plans have
recently discovered they can use it to augment claims data.”678 In other words,
if a person’s buying habits indicate to the insurance company that he lives an
unhealthy lifestyle and is likely to become obese, a diabetic, or any number of
other possibilities, then they may raise his premium.
In recent years, the government has shown a keen interest in individual health
habits. In 2013, Bloomberg Businessweek published an article titled “The
FDA Eyes a Caffeine Crackdown.” According to the article, Food and Drug
Administration Deputy Director, Michael Taylor, has said, “We’ll gather as
much information as we can on the products that are out there and look at
what should be the limits and what are the options for us to put some
boundaries on the proliferation of caffeine in foods.” He has also said, “Maybe
the way to address that is to set limits on the amount.”679 Similarly, New York
City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has attempted to ban extra-large sugary drinks
677
Katherine Albrecht, “Chips, Surveillance, and Privacy,” Coast to Coast AM, Feb. 25,
2009, Source: DisclosureBubble, “Chips, Surveillance & Privacy.”
678 Adams, “How the Insurer Knows.”
679 Wong, “The FDA.”
312
and to limit salt. In 2012 The New York Times published an article titled
“Health Panel Approves Restriction on Sale of Large Sugary Drinks.” 680
Likewise, in 2012 Politico published an article titled “Mayor Michael
Bloomberg: Large Soda Not a Right.” In it Bloomberg is quoted as saying, “It
is not something the Founding Fathers fought for.”681 Also, in a 2012
Mediaite article titled “NYC Mayor Bloomberg On Soda Ban: ‘We’re Simply
Forcing You to Understand ‘What’s Better for You,” Mayor Bloomberg was
quoted as saying, “We’re not taking away anybody’s right to do things, we’re
simply forcing you to understand that you have to make the conscious decision
to go from one cup to another cup.”682 Additionally, in 2010 the New York
Post published an article titled “Food-Nanny Mike Declares War On Salt In
NYers Diets.”683
Most states have passed varying laws limiting where individuals are permitted
to smoke cigarettes and cigars.684 In fact, according to a 2002 Associated
Press article titled “Springfield firefighter fired for smoking cigarette in car,” the
state of Massachusetts even prohibits emergency workers from smoking
anywhere at any time—whether on or off the job.685
Michelle Obama has worked to implement new health requirements in our
public schools. A 2012 Fox 8 article titled “NC preschooler’s ‘unhealthy’
lunch replaced with cafeteria nuggets” reports:
680
Grynbaum, “Health Panel.”
Mak, “Mayor Michael Bloomberg.”
682 Rothman, “NYC Mayor Bloomberg.”
683 Bennett, Chuck, “Food-nanny.”
684 For more information, see Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, “Smokefree Lists, Maps, and
Data,” http://www.no-smoke.org/goingsmokefree.php?id=519.
685 “Springfield firefighter fired for smoking cigarette in car,” Associated Press, November 1,
2002, Source: Romance, “Springfield firefighter.”
681
313
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A Hoke County preschooler was fed chicken nuggets for lunch because a
state worker felt that her homemade lunch did not have enough
nutritional value, according to a report by the Carolina Journal.
The West Hoke Elementary School student was in her More at Four
classroom when a state employee who was inspecting lunch boxes
decided that her packed lunch — which consisted of a turkey and cheese
sandwich, a banana, apple juice and potato chips — “did not meet U.S.
Department of Agriculture guidelines,” the Journal reports.
The decision was made under consideration of a regulation put in place
by the Division of Child Development and Early Education at the
Department of Health and Human Services, which requires all lunches
served in pre-kindergarten programs to meet USDA guidelines.”686
It is conceivable that The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more
commonly known as ObamaCare, could result in the Federal government
requiring stores to share loyalty card records with it in order to ensure that
Americans are maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If the government is paying for a
person’s health care, then it is probable that the government will eventually
begin to dictate what a person may or may not do to his own health. There
could be coming a time when customers are limited in what they may purchase
at the grocery store via their store loyalty cards which may no longer be
optional. For example, a diabetic individual may not be permitted to purchase
certain sugary products, or individuals may be limited in how much junk food
can be purchased each month.
The goal is to eventually be able to monitor everything in real time. According
to a 2013 Huffington Post article titled “What Is the ‘Internet of Things’?”:
686
Sullivan, “NC preschooler’s ‘unhealthy’ lunch.”
314
In the ‘90s computers invaded our homes. In the 2000s
computers invaded
our
pockets.
This
decade,
all
our clothing, accessories, vehicles, and everything (?!) appear on the
verge of computerization. Welcome to the Internet of Things (IoT). …
Helen Duce, the director of the radio frequency identification (RFID)
center at the University of Cambridge, recently explained her vision for
the IoT:
We have a clear vision: to create a world where every object, from
jumbo jets to sewing needles, is linked to the Internet. Compelling as
this vision is, it is only achievable if this system is adopted by
everyone everywhere. Success will be nothing less than global
adoption.687
The Auto-ID Center has actually calculated how many bits of information are
necessary to provide a unique identification code for every automobile,
computer, razor blade, grain of rice, and person on the planet.688 The very
fact that they have considered what is necessary to chip every grain of rice on
the planet reveals the magnitude of this plan. According to Spychips:
So enamored was the Auto-ID Center with the idea of uniquely
identifying all objects, they developed a system that could number every
item produced on earth for the next thousand years—each with its own
unique ID number and no repeats. … While many numbering schemes
were considered, the EPC developers finally settled on a ninety-six bit
code. (That’s a string of ninety-six zeroes and ones, or, said a different
way, two to the ninety-sixth power.) The developers tell us this code is
687
688
315
Last, “What Is the ‘Internet of Things’?”
Albrecht, Spychips, 26.
DARK TECHNOLOGIES
adequate to uniquely number a mind-blowing 80 thousand trillion trillion
objects—more than sufficient for man-made physical products.689
RFID technology will remove the last vestiges of privacy in the name of
convenience and efficiency. In the 2003 “Sponsors Guide,” Mark Roberti of
MIT Auto-ID Center writes:
The Auto-ID Center’s vision is a world in which low-cost RFID tags are
put on every manufactured item and tracked using a single, global
network as they move from one company to another and one country to
another. Indeed, we envision individual items-cans of Coke, pairs of jeans
and car tires-being tracked from the moment they are made until the
time they are recycled. This will give manufacturers and retailers nearperfect supply chain visibility. It will eliminate human error from data
collection and enable companies to reduce inventory, make sure product
is always on the store shelves, and reduce lost, stolen or misdirected
goods. It will open a new world of convenience for consumers, who one
day may be able to check themselves out at a supermarket in seconds. In
short, it will transform the way we do business and the way we live.690
According to IBM’s U.S. patent publication number 20020116274, “the
widespread use of RFID tags on merchandise such as clothing would make it
possible for the locations of people, animals, and objects to be tracked on a
global scale—a privacy invasion of Orwellian proportions.”691 Likewise, Vice
689
Ibid, 26.
Referencing David Brock, “The Compact Electronic Product Code: A 64-Bit Representation of
the Electronic Product Code,” white paper, MIT Auto-ID Center, November 1, 2001.
690 Mark Roberti, “Sponsors Guide,” MIT Auto-ID Center, June 24, 2003, Source: Albrecht,
Spychips, 24.
691 United States patent application 9/790104, publication number 20020116274, John
Hind, “Method to Address Security and Privacy Issues of the Use of RFID Systems to Track Consumer
Products,” Assigned to International Business Machines, February 21, 2001,
http://patent.ipexl.com/U2S/20020116274.html, Source: Spychips, 37.
316
President of Technology at AIM Global Steve Halliday said, “If I talk to
companies and ask them if they want to replace the bar code with these tags,
the answer can’t be anything but yes. It's like giving them an opportunity to
rule the world.”692 Also, in a 2003 Auto-ID Center Executive Briefing, Helen
Dulce writes, “The lack of clear benefits to consumers could present a problem
in the ‘real world’. In the case of EPC network there are currently no clear
benefits [for consumers] by which to balance even the mildest negative …”693
And in “Message Development,” Helen Dulce writes, “‘Selling’ the technology,
the vision, or the consumer benefits exacerbates consumers’ problems. The
best communication strategy appears to be positioning the technology simply
as an improved barcode.”694 Once again, it is evident that the consumer is not
the primary beneficiary of this technology.
Today this RFID network is being erected. Companies such as Gillette and
Procter and Gamble secretly tagged some of their products for years. 695 Today
RFID tagging of merchandise is becoming common. Companies like Walmart
strongly support RFID tagging of all merchandise. RFID tags are commonly
used to identify luggage at airports.696 In many states, newborn babies are
given ankle bracelets with RFID chips for security purposes.697 All U.S.
passports contain embedded RFID microchips.698 Enhanced drivers licenses
utilize RFID technology and are combining this with biometric identifiers.699
Most loyalty shopping cards are embedded with RFID microchips.700 And
692
Schmidt, “Beyond the Bar Code.”
Duce, “Executive Briefing.”
694 Duce, “Message Development.”
695 “Scandal: Wal-Mart.”
696 Swedberg, “Hong Kong Airport.”
697 Collins, “RFID Delivers.”
698 United States State Department, “The U.S. Electronic Passport.”
699 United States Department of Homeland Security, “Enhanced Drivers Licenses.”
700 For more information, see Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and
Numbering, http://www.nocards.org/.
693
317
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several major credit card companies have embedded their cards with RFID
microchips.701
Even our children are being integrated into this RFID network. UCLA
researchers working on RFID applications have said, “We propose to target
early childhood education as a testbed for our technologies …”702 A 2010
Wired Magazine articled titled “Tracking School Children With RFID Tags? It’s
All About The Benjamins” reports:
Just as the U.S. Department of Agriculture mandates Radio Frequency
Identification Device chips to monitor livestock, a Texas school district just
begun implanting the devices on student identification cards to monitor
pupils’ movements on campus, and to track them as they come and go
from school.
Tagging school children with RFID chips is uncommon, but not new. A
federally funded preschool in Richmond, California, began embedding
RFID chips in students’ clothing in 2010. And an elementary school
outside of Sacramento, California, scrubbed a plan in 2005 amid a
parental uproar. And a Houston, Texas, school district began using the
chips to monitor students on 13 campuses in 2004.
It was only a matter of time. Radio frequency identification devices are a
daily part of the electronic age, and are fast becoming a part of
passports, libraries and payment cards, and are widely expected to
replace bar-code labels on consumer goods.703
701
Roberti, “Are RFID-Enabled Credit Cards Safer Than Magstripe Cards?”
“Project Summary.”
703 Kravets, “Tracking School Children.”
702
318
These RFID tags emit a signal every 25 seconds, providing a near moment by
moment record of the student’s movements.
It appears as if the UCLA researchers’ recommendation is being implemented.
In 2013, Fox News published an article titled, “Report: School District
Scanned Children’s Eyes for Bus Program Without Permission.704 Similarly, a
2013 CNN Money article titled “Iris Scans Are The School’s New IDs”
reports, “Winthrop University in South Carolina is testing out iris scanning
technology during freshman orientation this summer. Students had their eyes
scanned as they received their ID cards in June.” It also says:
South Dakota-based Blinkspot manufactures iris scanners specifically for
use on school buses. When elementary school students come aboard, they
look into a scanner (it looks like a pair of binoculars). The reader will
beep if they’re on the right bus and honk if they’re on the wrong one.
The Blinkspot scanner syncs with a mobile app that parents can use to
see where their child is. Every time a child boards or exits the bus, his
parent gets an email or text with the child’s photograph, a Google map
where they boarded or exited the bus, as well as the time and date.705
A 2013 BiometricUpdate.com article titled “Biometric payments in school
cafeterias: Privacy nightmare or lunchroom revolution?” reports:
Around the world, many cafeterias are being fitted with biometric
payment systems for students to purchase lunch, and these systems tout
some appealing benefits: kids don’t need to carry cash, kids who lose
money don’t need to go without food, lunch lines will shrink and students
on a subsidized meal plan no longer need to feel isolated by being made
to sign for food in front of their peers.
704
705
319
“Report: School District.”
Segall, “Iris Scans.”
DARK TECHNOLOGIES
The idea behind biometric payment systems for cafeterias is often
essentially the same: student biometrics are registered in the system and
converted to a numerical sequence for verification, parents or students
can load money into an account and then instead of paying for lunch
with cash, students are verified by their biometrics and money is taken
out of their pre-loaded account.706
The government has attempted many times in the past to create a national ID
system, but they have never succeeded primarily because of public opposition.
If an entire generation grows up using these RFID and biometric ID systems,
then it will become an ordinary fact of life for them. A national ID system is
inevitable if similar systems succeed within public schools.
RFID and biometric technologies are not inherently evil. They offer the
possibility of unprecedented levels of convenience. In a perfect world, this
technology could be used for incredible good, but we do not live in a perfect
world. We live in a world that is governed by sin and by the spirit of antichrist.
The consistent testimony of human nature teaches us that we should maintain
a healthy fear of these technologies. Technology is a double-edged sword. It is
just as likely to hurt us as it is to help us. This does not mean that we must
reject and oppose all RFID and biometric technology, but it does mean that we
should not deceive ourselves into believing that only good can come from this
technology and that those who are promoting it do not have ulterior motives.
Historically, governments have always desired greater levels of monitoring and
control. Often this is done in the name of safety and convenience. If it is true
that increased levels of monitoring and control results in higher levels of safety,
then history should bear record to this. Perhaps the most highly monitored and
controlled society of the 20th century was the Soviet Union. Maybe regarding
day to day activities, it was safer, but almost no one wishes that they lived in
706
Vrankulj, “Biometric payments.”
320
the Soviet Union. The people may have been safer from their fellow citizens,
but they were in great danger from their government.707
Professor Rudolph Rummel devoted his life to studying this concept and
concluded that in the 20th century, governments were 4 times more deadly to
their own people than all of that century’s wars combined. Keep in mind that
this includes two world wars. In his book Death By Government, Rudolph
Rummel writes:
In total, during the first eighty-eight years of [the 20th] century, almost
170 million men, women, and children have been shot, beaten, tortured,
knifed, burned, starved, frozen, crushed, or worked to death; buried alive,
drowned, hung, bombed, or killed in any other of the myriad ways
governments have inflicted death on unarmed, helpless citizens and
foreigners. The dead could conceivably be nearly 360 million people. It
is as though our species has been devastated by a modern Black Plague.
And indeed it has, but a plague of Power, not germs.708
RFID and biometric technologies promise unprecedented levels of monitoring
and control. As such, governments around the world are enamored with this
technology. The United States government appears to have a goal to monitor
and record every aspect of every person’s life from birth to death. The recent
revelations about PRISM709 indicate this. Similarly, a Justice Department
attorney leaked information to the New York Times in 2004 concerning a
Federal warrantless wiretap program primarily conducted by the NSA known
as Stellar Wind.710, 711 We also know that since the 1970’s, the United States
707
Katherine Albrecht, “Chips, Surveillance, and Privacy,” Coast to Coast AM, February 25,
2009, Source: DisclosureBubble, “Chips, Surveillance & Privacy.”
708 Rummel, Death by Government, 1.
709 The original story regarding PRISM was released by The Guardian.
(Greenwald, “NSA Prism.”)
710 Zetter, “Under Obama.”
321
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has cooperated with a network of other countries to monitor private
communications. This system was known as “Echelon.” Theoretically, it could
monitor every communication that was sent via transmission.712
The government has a long history of using technology to gather private
information. In 2013, the National Security Agency (NSA) opened a new
intelligence data center in Bluffdale, Utah. According to a 2013 Associated
Press article titled “What We Know About The NSA’s Secret Data Data
Warehouse In Utah,” it is about 1.5 million square feet in size. It is estimated
that it will use about 65 megawatts of electricity constantly. This is enough
electricity to power 33,000 homes.713 Furthermore, according to a 2013
report by KSL TV, the facility may use 1.7 million gallons of water every day
just to keep the computers cool. It is estimated that the facility will use between
600 and 1,200 gallons per minute.714
According to a 2012 Wired Magazine article titled, “The NSA Is Building the
Country’s Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say),” it’s storage capacity
could be measured in yottabytes.715 To put this into perspective, “There are a
thousand gigabytes in a terabyte, a thousand terabytes in a petabyte, a
thousand petabytes in an Exabyte, a thousand exabytes in a zettabyte, and a
thousand zettabytes in a yottabyte. In other words, a yottabyte is
1,000,000,000,000,000GB.”716 Wired Magazine says:
It needs that capacity because, according to a recent report by Cisco,
global Internet traffic will quadruple from 2010 to 2015, reaching
711
Isikoff, “The Fed Who Blew the Whistle.”
Leopold, “Revisiting Eschelon.”
713 “What We Know About The NSA’s Secret Data Data Warehouse In Utah,” Associated
Press, June 13, 2013, Source: “What We Know.”
714 Adams, “New Utah NSA center.”
715 Bamford, “The NSA.”
716 Coldewey, “NSA to store yottabytes.”
712
322
966 exabytes per year. (A million exabytes equal a yottabyte.) In terms
of scale, Eric Schmidt, Google’s former CEO, once estimated that the
total of all human knowledge created from the dawn of man to 2003
totaled 5 exabytes. And the data flow shows no sign of slowing. In
2011 more than 2 billion of the world’s 6.9 billion people were
connected to the Internet. By 2015, market research firm IDC estimates,
there will be 2.7 billion users. Thus, the NSA’s need for a 1-millionsquare-foot data storehouse. Should the agency ever fill the Utah center
with a yottabyte of information, it would be equal to about 500
quintillion (500,000,000,000,000,000,000) pages of text.”717
Eventually, there will be a government that succeeds in its effort to completely
control its citizens according to Revelation 13:16–18.718 Scripture reveals
that this will be accomplished economically. Perhaps RFID and biometric
technology will be used in this system. Perhaps not. There is no way to know
for certain. What we do know is that the mark of the Beast system will be
eerily similar to the system that the proponents of RFID and biometric
technology envision.
There is in existence today a technology which could be used to accomplish
everything that we read about in Revelation chapter 13 about the mark of the
Beast system. In fact, most of the technologies and patents that we have
addressed in this chapter are at least a decade old. We have not even begun to
discuss such things as electronic tattoos and FDA approved pills which
essentially transform the individual’s body into an authentication system by
717
Bamford, “The NSA.”
Revelation 13:16–18: Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both
free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless
he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let
the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and
his number is 666.
718
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emitting a unique signal from within the individual’s gut.719 However, let’s
assume for a moment that the mark of the Beast system will utilize the
decade-old RFID and biometric technologies that we have been looking at in
this chapter. What would life be like in this system for someone who refuses to
accept the mark of the Beast?
An individual who refuses the mark would be unable to pass any security
checkpoint. This means that he could not enter government buildings or even
pass through airport security. Considering that the Federal government has
spoken with states, such as Massachusetts, about establishing toll booths along
the highways at all border points and is considering how travel between states
can be prevented in the event of an emergency, being unable to pass any
security check point may mean that a person without the mark could not cross
state lines. Even something as simple as accessing one’s personal computer
may no longer be possible. Given that computers are beginning to use
biometric identifiers and digital passports to access the computer’s operating
system as well as online accounts, this may mean that those who refuse the
mark will be unable to do anything online—or possibly anything on a
computer, smart tablet, or smart phone.
An individual who refuses the mark of the Beast would be unable to use the
smart meter. This would mean that he could not receive electricity or gas.
Considering that appliances are becoming “smart,” this may mean that he
could not even operate any appliances. An individual who refuses the mark
would be unable to buy or sell anything—particularly if all currency is digital
and is exchanged via this technological system. An individual who refuses the
mark would be unable to identify himself. This would mean that he could not
drive a car, receive government assistance, possess a bank account, or even
pay his taxes. Considering that RFID technology is being considered as a form
of gun safety, this may mean that he could not fire a weapon. Considering that
719
Thomas Horn, “Former DARPA director.”
324
hospitals are beginning to use RFID as a form of identification, patient
tracking, and record-keeping, this may mean that he could not receive care at
a hospital.
Considering how things are progressing today, it is likely that by the time the
mark of the beast is mandated, every person’s biometric identification and
DNA will already be stored within government databases. This could mean that
those people who refuse the mark will be placed on a watch list of sorts.
Cameras that are constantly scanning people’s biometric identifiers, such as
how people walk, faces, and irises, will notify the authorities when these
individuals are identified. This would mean that those who refuse the mark
could not function in society. Even outside of society, drones and satellites
could be used to identify people via biometrics.
Using technology, Satan will have accomplished a kind of synthetic
omniscience, omnipresence, and a form of omnipotence. Keep in mind that
Satan is merely an angel. He is a creation of God. As such, he does not
possess God’s attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence.
Instead, he must find some other means to accomplish these.
This technological grid will give Satan unprecedented power. At this time,
anyone who refuses to accept the mark of the Beast will not only be excluded
from society, they will eventually be beheaded (Rev. 20:4720). People will
believe that it is impossible to defeat Satan’s pawn, the Antichrist (Rev.
13:4721). However, Satan’s synthetic attributes can never compare to God’s
720
Revelation 20:4: Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the
authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the
testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image
and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with
Christ for a thousand years.
721 Revelation 13:4: And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the
beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
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genuine attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. Revelation
19 teaches that both Antichrist and Satan will eventually be defeated by Jesus
Christ. Furthermore, Revelation 20:4722 teaches that those who refused to
accept the mark of the beast will reign with Christ for a thousand years.
As Christians, we understand that the Mark of the Beast and its accompanying
technological grid are inevitable. It has been prophesied by the same God who
has declared the end from the beginning. However, this does not give us the
right to ignore the subject and refuse to resist its implementation. Too many
people have taken the attitude that they do not need to be concerned about
the formation of this grid because it is inevitable, and they will be raptured
away before these things take place.723 What they fail to realize is that this
grid does not appear suddenly overnight. It will be the culmination of a long
series of developments and regulations. The closer that we get to this climax,
the more restrictive this system will become. Because of this, we ought to resist
technologies and regulations which further the formation of this grid at the
expense of our freedoms. However, in doing this, we must not lose our
722
See footnote 720.
“… I flew down to Florida to protest the microchip implants that they were putting into
Alzheimer’s patients … as we were planning this event, I said, ‘Well this needs to be not just a protest
like my usual protest against RFID. This has serious spiritual implications. This needs to be a prayer
vigil.’ So we got on the phone, and we called up all the churches in West Palm Beach, Florida—myself
and a volunteer. We got a phone book, and we called all the Baptist churches, and we called all the
Pentecostal churches, and we called all of the Congregational churches, and we called—I mean, we
went through the list until we called them all. Not one single church was willing to send a pastor to
support us in that prayer vigil, or to say a prayer at our event—not one. … [E]very phone call went
pretty much just like this. One of two things. Either they said, ‘Well what are you protesting?’ ‘Well,
they’re putting microchip implants into Alzheimer’s patients.’ ‘Well, why are they doing that?’ ‘Well,
they’re saying they’re doing it so they can’t wander away and get lost from the facility.’ ‘Well, that’s a
good thing, don’t you think?’ That was response number one. I had so many church secretaries tell me
that that was a very good idea, and why would I object to that? If I didn’t get that response, the other
response I got was, ‘Well, why are you worried about that? Don’t you know the rapture’s just going to
take us all away before that happens? What kind of lack of faith are you suffering from, lady?’”
(ThinkFeelExist, “*You Don’t Want a Microchipped World*.”)
723
326
perspective. We ought to resist the implementation of technology and
regulations which are designed to restrict our freedoms and to give government
and corporations greater control over us, but we should not focus so much
attention on this that we fail to strengthen the body of Christ and to share the
gospel. Our ability to do this will become progressively restricted. The time
may be coming, even long before the mark of the Beast system is fully
implemented, when Christians may not be permitted to freely share the gospel.
Eventually, the day is coming when Christians will not even be permitted to
function in society.
Most likely, there will never be a time of greater freedom and opportunity to
share the gospel than there is today. As time progresses, our opportunities to
share the gospel will only diminish. We need to seize today. The mark of the
Beast system will be the crowning achievement of the spirit of antichrist. It will
be a terrible and oppressive time for Christians. Nevertheless, today it can
motivate us to take advantage of the time that we do have to build God’s
kingdom. It can be a reality check for us, teaching us that those things that we
fear today and allow to prevent us from sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with
others are miniscule in scope. We must not allow fear of what others will think
to prevent us from sharing the gospel. The time is coming when what others
think will be the least of the Christian’s concerns.
There is nothing inherently wrong with the technologies discussed in this
chapter. However, we know the end of the story. We know how these
technologies will eventually be abused. Therefore, as we see this technological
grid constructed around us, let us use it as a daily reminder of how precious is
the time that we have to share the good news about Jesus Christ, because we
do not know how much time we have left.
327
Chapter 13
Homosexuality
January 1, 2014 ushered in a new era of homosexual acceptance within the
United States of America. The Associated Press reports, “Standing atop a
giant wedding cake float, Aubrey Loots and Danny Leclair exchanged vows
New Year’s Day in the first same-sex marriage during the Tournament of
Roses Parade. Throngs of spectators cheered as the men, dressed in dark suits,
faced each other and held hands before the Rev. Alfreda Lanoix, who
officiated the ceremony aboard the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float.”724
Only weeks later, the nation was again exposed to a live same-sex wedding
ceremony on national television. According to a 2014 BBC article titled
“Grammys: Gay marriage takes centre stage,” “The 56th Grammy Awards
were held last night, and while there were no twerking incidents to stir
controversy, a planned marriage ceremony for 34 gay and straight couples
officiated by Queen Latifah in the middle of the rap by Macklemore and Ryan
Lewis about marriage equality (with a cameo by Madonna) had people
talking.”725, 726
724
“125th Rose Parade hosts its first same-sex wedding,” Associated Press, Jan. 1, 2014,
Source: “125th Rose Parade.”
725 Zurcher, “Grammys.”
726 Only thirty-three couples actually made it to the Grammy stage to be marriage.
328
Today it is nearly impossible to avoid the issue of homosexuality. It is
continually paraded before every stratum of society. In fact, according to a
2008 World Net Daily article titled “Decision To Teach Kids To Be ‘Gay’
Allowed To Stand:”
A federal court decision approving mandatory public school instruction for
children as young as kindergarten in how to be homosexual is being
allowed to stand, … The U.S. Supreme Court without comment has
refused to intervene in a case prompted by the actions of officials
at Eastbrook Elementary school in Lexington, Mass., who not only were
teaching homosexuality to young children, but specifically refused to allow
Christian parents to opt their children out of the indoctrination. … The
dispute grabbed headlines when Parker, on April 27, 2005, “was
arrested and thrown in jail by school officials over his insistence on being
notified regarding his son in kindergarten being taught about homosexual
relationships by adults,” Mass Resistance reported. … “The [Supreme]
court did not even bother to notify the Parkers or their attorneys,” said
Mass Resistance, which said what now will be enforced in the judicial
district will be the lower bench rulings that the state has not only the right
but “even the obligation … to promote homosexual relationships to young
children.”727
In 2013, a LifeSiteNews article titled “Crossdressing Camp for Boys as
Young as Six Draws Criticism from Christian Leaders,” reported on a camp in
New England which exists for “‘gender variant’ boys from 6 to 16 and their
families.”728 Furthermore, according to a 2013 News Busters article titled
“Transvestite Superhero Cartoon to Debut on Children’s Network The Hub,” a
cable TV channel is targeting children between the ages of 2 and 11 by,
(“Macklemore.” Also: TRSDD2, “Macklemore.”)
727 Unruh, “Decision To Teach Kids.”
728 Andersen, “Crossdressing.”
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HOMOSEXUALITY
“airing a cartoon featuring a boy who gains super powers by wearing a special
ring — and dressing as a girl.” According to the article, “Whenever trouble
arises, boy says magic words, ‘You go, girl!’” The ensuing results are supposed
to be comical as the ring was originally intended to be worn by a female
superhero.729
On September 20, 2013, a transgender student named Cassidy Lynn
Campbell made history when the students at Marina High School in
Huntington Beach, California elected her to serve as their school’s
homecoming queen.730, 731 Even the Boy Scouts have succumbed to the
pressure of embracing homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle which may be
flaunted before young children. According to an Associated Press article titled
“Boy Scouts approve plan to accept openly gay members,” the Boy Scouts
now accept gay scouts, although gay scout leaders are still banned.732
The pressure to embrace homosexuality is enormous and widespread. In
2013, Pope Francis shocked the world when he referenced a “gay lobby” in
the Vatican and implied that homosexuals can be Christians accepted by God.
According to a 2013 New York Times opinion editorial titled “A Papal
Surprise: Humility,” “Pope Francis’s surprising remarks came in response to a
question about an alleged ‘gay lobby’ in the Vatican. His response: ‘When I
729
Hall, “Transvestite Superhero.”
“Transgender Student.”
731 Cassidy Campbell is only one example within a growing trend of transgender prom queens:
- Andrew Viveros
(Rothaus, “Transgender.”)
- Cody Tubman
(Leamanczyk, “Transgender.”)
- Destiny Hartis
(Rector, “Transgender.”)
- Nasir Fleming
(Wong, “Nasir.”)
732 “Boy Scouts approve plan to accept openly gay members,” Associated Press, May 24,
2013, Source: “Boy Scouts.”
730
330
meet a gay person, I have to distinguish between their being gay and being
part of a lobby. If they accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge
them? They shouldn’t be marginalized. The tendency is not the problem.’ He
added: ‘They’re our brothers.’”733 Likewise, United States President Barack
Obama has publically supported homosexuality, not only in America, but also
internationally.734
733
Corvino, “A Papal Surprise.”
“At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go
ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,”
(Calms, “Obama Says Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legal.”)
“Well, first of all, I think the Supreme Court ruling yesterday was not simply a victory for
the LGBT community, it’s a victory for American democracy. I believe at the root of who we are as a
people, who we are as Americans is the basic precept that we are all equal under the law. We believe
in basic fairness. And what I think yesterday’s ruling signifies is one more step towards ensuring that
those basic principles apply to everybody. …
734
Now, this topic did not come up in the conversation that I had with President Sall in a bilateral
meeting. But let me just make a general statement. The issue of gays and lesbians, and how they’re
treated, has come up and has been controversial in many parts of Africa. So I want the African people
just to hear what I believe, and that is that every country, every group of people, every religion have
different customs, different traditions. And when it comes to people’s personal views and their religious
faith, et cetera, I think we have to respect the diversity of views that are there.
But when it comes to how the state treats people, how the law treats people, I believe that everybody
has to be treated equally. I don’t believe in discrimination of any sort. That’s my personal view. And I
speak as somebody who obviously comes from a country in which there were times when people were
not treated equally under the law, and we had to fight long and hard through a civil rights struggle to
make sure that happens.
So my basic view is that regardless of race, regardless of religion, regardless of gender, regardless of
sexual orientation, when it comes to how the law treats you, how the state treats you — the benefits,
the rights and the responsibilities under the law — people should be treated equally. And that’s a
principle that I think applies universally, and the good news is it’s an easy principle to remember.
Every world religion has this basic notion that is embodied in the Golden Rule — treat people the way
you want to be treated. And I think that applies here as well.”
(Capehart, “Obama comes out for gays in Africa.”)
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HOMOSEXUALITY
Presently, the homosexual debate is focused on the definition of “marriage”
and “family.” In 2013, The Washington Times reported:
The U.S. Department of Education has announced that beginning with
the 2014–2015 federal student aid form, the Department will — for
the first time — collect income “from a dependent student’s legal parents
regardless of the parents” marital status or gender, if those parents live
together.” The new FAFSA form will use terms like “Parent 1” and
“Parent 2” instead of gender-specific terms like “mother” and “father, …
[in order to] provide an inclusive form that reflects the diversity of
American families.735
According to a 2013 New York Times article titled “Supreme Court Bolsters
Gay Marriage with Two Major Rulings,” “In a pair of major victories for the
gay rights movement, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that married
same-sex couples were entitled to federal benefits and, by declining to decide a
case from California, effectively allowed same-sex marriages there.”736
Additionally, the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department issued
Revenue Ruling 2013–17 which states:
1. Whether, for Federal tax purposes, the terms “spouse,” “husband and
wife,” “husband,” and “wife” include an individual married to a
person of the same sex, if the individuals are lawfully married under
state law, and whether, for those same purposes, the term
“marriage” includes such a marriage between individuals of the same
sex.
2. Whether, for Federal tax purposes, the Internal Revenue Service
(Service) recognizes a marriage of same-sex individuals validly
735
736
Chasmar, “Education Dept.”
Liptak, “Supreme Court.”
332
entered into in a state whose laws authorize the marriage of two
individuals of the same sex even if the state in which they are
domiciled does not recognize the validity of same-sex marriages.737
In a sense, it is as if America is in the process of coming out of the closet.
Graphic homosexual relationships are openly portrayed on popular television
shows,738 and songs such as Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl,” top the music
chart.739 Even in the world of hip-hop rap, homosexuality is beginning to be
accepted.740, 741 According to a 2011 Pew Research Center publication titled
“The Generation Gap and the 2012 Election,” Americans are becoming
progressively supportive of homosexual marriages with an 8–9% rise in
approval for each successive generation.742 With our nation becoming
increasingly accepting of homosexuality and moving ever-closer to ruling that
homosexual marriages are legal and a human right, it is imperative that
Christians know what the Bible has to say regarding this issue.
More than most, this issue is fraught with natural pitfalls and quagmires. Deeprooted emotional and political elements make it nearly impossible to address
this topic without causing offense. Furthermore, extreme bias and poor
scholarship has resulted in both sides flooding the arena with faulty—and often
false—arguments. Unfortunately, the most common tactic by both parties has
been to resort to ad hominen arguments. According to Merriam-Webster.com,
“ad hominem” is a logical fallacy which is an “appealing to feelings or
prejudices rather than intellect” and is “marked by or being an attack on an
opponent’s character rather than by an answer to the contentions made.”743
737
“Rev. Rul. 2013–17.”
Examples: House, Smash, The Tudors, Game of Thrones, Spartacus, etc.
739 Official Charts Company. “Katy Perry.”
740 Zimmerman, “The World’s First Pro-Gay Rap Song.”
741
McKinley Jr., “Hip-Hop.”
742 “Angry Silents, Disengaged Millennials,” 83.
743 “Ad Hominem,” Merriam-Webster.com.
738
333
HOMOSEXUALITY
In no way does this book seek to belittle or demean those who practice or are
inclined toward homosexuality. Neither does this book seek to cause offense.
There are numerous peripheral arguments which are often used to bolster the
position of those who oppose homosexuality. These include such things as the
inherent health risks, the correlation between homosexuality and pedophilia,
quality of life, depression rates, etc. Some of these may be valid arguments, but
they are not necessarily universal arguments. Inevitably, some within the gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transvestite community (GLBT), will consider themselves
to be exceptions to these arguments. Additionally, these arguments can easily
become malicious. Therefore, this book will avoid these approaches to the
subject altogether.
Furthermore, many popular arguments have been burdened by semantics.
Among these can be found two of the most common arguments against
homosexuality. These include God’s declaration in Leviticus 18:22744 that
homosexuality is a sin and the argument that Sodom and Gomorrah were
judged because of homosexuality. These arguments have become so muddied
by semantic wrangling and counter arguments that it is nearly impossible to
win a serious debate with these arguments. Leviticus 18:22 is countered by
questioning whether it belongs to the portion of the Law which was done away
in Christ, and is therefore relegated to the time of the Old Testament. As for
Sodom and Gomorrah, Ezekiel 16:49–50745 teaches us that Sodom and
Gomorrah were not judged solely because of homosexuality. Certainly
homosexuality was rampant within those cities and was a cause for judgment
according to Jude 1:7,746 but it was not the sole cause for God’s judgment.
744
Leviticus 18:22: You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
Ezekiel 16:49–50: Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters
had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were
haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.
746 Jude 1:7: [J]ust as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise
indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a
punishment of eternal fire.
745
334
Further, those in support of homosexuality argue that Sodom’s true crime was
inhospitality, not homosexuality. Ultimately, these arguments end with each
party concluding that they have the correct interpretation of the text and that
the other party is confused.
Given the cultural relevance of this subject today, we as Christians need
something more certain than, “Well, that’s your interpretation; this is my
interpretation.” Arguments which result in such conclusions are simply not
strong enough when the subject matter cuts against the political and cultural
grain of society. For this reason, this book will try to avoid these inadequate
approaches and usual pitfalls and will, instead, consider some Biblical principles
which necessitate that the act of homosexuality and homosexual marriages
contradict God’s Word.
To begin, consider the nature of marriage. A strong undercurrent exists among
our society which strives to redefine marriage as being little more than a social
contract between two individual parties. However, it was God, not the
government, who created marriage. God established the purpose and pattern
for marriage in Genesis 2:18–25 which says:
Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I
will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the LORD
God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens
and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And
whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The
man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to
every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for
him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and
while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And
the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a
woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is
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HOMOSEXUALITY
bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his
father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become
one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not
ashamed.
According to this passage, God determined that Adam needed a helper, or a
suitable companion. As such, God presented every beast of the field and fowl
of the air before Adam, yet none of them proved to be a suitable companion.
Now we know that man has long found companionship among animals.
Sometimes this can be an exceedingly deep friendship and love for one
another. It is not without reason that the dog has earned the title “man’s best
friend.” Clearly the companionship that God was seeking for Adam exceeds
the emotional attachment that can be found between a man and an animal.
Furthermore, this companionship was not merely a matter of sexual
satisfaction. Throughout history, man has practiced bestiality. Adam could
certainly have found sexual satisfaction among one of the animals presented
before him, yet none were deemed suitable by God. This passage reveals that
there is such a thing as a suitable companion and an unsuitable, or
unacceptable, companion for man. Just because someone or something is
capable of making an individual feel happy, loved, and sexually satisfied does
not make it acceptable before God. In Genesis 2, we discover that God had a
particular standard for how a companion was to fulfill Adam’s needs. God was
not satisfied with simply finding something that worked. Instead, God wanted
to provide Adam the absolute best solution. According to Scripture, that best
solution was woman.
Woman was specially designed by God to be a suitable and acceptable helper
and companion for man. After considering all of creation, God determined that
a new creature would have to be created to perfectly fulfill Adam’s needs. God
could have created another man. He could have replicated Adam. Instead, He
336
chose to create woman. God’s intention is for a woman to fulfill the needs of
a man, and presumably, vice versa. In His perfect omniscience, God
determined that a member of the opposite sex is the best solution to an
individual’s emotional and physical needs. This includes the need to feel loved.
This includes the need to feel happy. This includes the need to feel satisfied.
This includes the need to feel fulfilled. This also includes the individual’s sexual
needs. This is not to say that a member of the same sex cannot meet these
needs, just as it is conceivable that an animal could meet these needs. Rather,
God’s purpose and design is that these needs be fulfilled by a human member
of the opposite sex. Only a member of the opposite sex can fully accomplish
God’s desire to ideally meet the needs of the other. When an individual claims
that these needs are only truly fulfilled by a member of the same sex, that
individual is calling into question God’s omniscience, God’s design for creation,
God’s faithfulness to His creation, and God’s commitment to providing His
creation with the absolute best.
The world is filled with substitutes for God’s ideal plan for our lives. This is
epitomized in God’s plea to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 30:19b, 747
“[C]hoose life, that you and your offspring may live,” This seems to be such a
simple decision. Why would anyone choose death over life? Yet we know that
many of the Israelites ultimately chose death. This is because the way that
leads to death seemed to be such an easy and attractive substitute for God’s
plan. God’s plan appeared to be overly restrictive, and maybe it didn’t always
make sense to them. Consequently, many chose a substitute which could never
bring the blessing that God intended for those individuals. According to
Genesis 2, God intends for marriage to be between a man and a woman. Any
substitute may bring a degree of pleasure and satisfaction, but it will always
pale in comparison to God’s true intention for man. Furthermore, these
747
Deuteronomy 30:19: I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set
before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may
live,
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HOMOSEXUALITY
substitutes result in death (Rom. 6:23748). Sometimes this is a physical death.
Other times it is a spiritual death as it numbs the individual’s conscience to the
voice and prompting of God (1 Tim. 4:2).749
Secondly, we learn in Genesis 2:18–25 that woman is from the flesh of
man. The union of man and woman is natural because they are of the same
flesh. They began as one, but God separated the two. It took a divine act to
separate the two, and it requires a divine act to once again unite the two. God
separated the two when God took the rib from Adam and transformed it into a
separate entity, and God united the two, according to Genesis 2:24, in the act
of marriage. This is affirmed in Matthew 19:5–6 where Jesus answered a
question regarding marriage by referring back to Genesis 2:24 saying,
“‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his
wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one
flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’”
Marriage is made possible only through divine intervention. It is not merely a
social contract; it is a sacred act in which the two—man and woman—are
made one.
Thirdly, we find in Genesis 2:18–25 that God established marriage to be
between a man and a woman. This pattern was not established because there
were no other options at the time that Adam and Eve were united. In other
words, God’s pattern for marriage does not preclude homosexual unions
because there were no others of the same sex in Eden when the pattern for
marriage was established. Instead, this pattern is established by the
proclamation in Genesis 2:24 which looked ahead to future generations,
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his
wife, and they shall become one flesh.” When a man wishes to marry in the
748
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
749 1 Timothy 4:2: [T]hrough the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,
338
future—at a time when the earth is populated with families—a man will leave
his father and mother and be united to a woman. No provision is made for a
marriage between two members of the same sex.
It is important to recognize that this declaration was made through the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We know this because Jesus affirms it in Mark
10:6–9750 and Matthew 19:4–6 which says, “‘Have you not read that he
who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said,
‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his
flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’” Not
only does Jesus affirm this as being God’s truth, but He attributes the ultimate
source of this declaration to God, as the Creator.
Even within the declaration itself, it is evident that Adam was speaking through
the knowledge of the Holy Spirit. Adam references the bachelor’s father and
mother.751 At the time, not only were there no fathers, mothers, or children,
but Adam had no way of knowing what a father, mother, or child was. Even
among the animals, Adam would not have witnessed any form of reproduction
because none of the animals had been created for more than a single day.
Adam’s knowledge of family units—something which should have been
completely foreign to him—is further verification that Adam was speaking
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Thus, through the inspiration of the
750
Mark 10:6–9: “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become
one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not
man separate.’”
751 Some Bibles, such as the ESV, include quotation marks in the translation of the text. These
are interpretive additions as the original text did not include quotation marks. There is nothing within
the original text of Genesis 2:23–24 which reveals whether verse 24 is part of Adam’s declaration
or merely an editorial note by the narrator. However, given that there is no textual indication that verse
24 does not belong to Adam’s declaration, the most literal or plain reading of the text would require
that it be part of Adam’s statement.
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HOMOSEXUALITY
Holy Spirit, Adam established marriage as being between a man and a woman
for all future generations.
That this was the intended meaning of Adam’s declaration in Genesis 2:23–
24 is verified by the pattern of mankind’s earliest marriages. The earliest
marriages were between men and women (Gen. 4:17, 19, and 23752). It is
interesting that the genealogies in Genesis 4 include the wives given that
subsequent genealogies in Scripture exclude the wives. In doing so, Scripture is
establishing a pattern of marriage for us as being between members of the
opposite sex.
Fourthly, we learn in Genesis 2:18–25 the definition of “wife.” The term
“wife” in Scripture refers to a woman who is married to a man. This is first
established through the context of Genesis 2:22–25.753 In Genesis 2:22,
the woman is said to be created from the man. In verse 23, the woman is said
to be of the same flesh as Adam. In verse 24, Adam declares that this is the
reason why a man can unite himself with the woman and become one flesh.
At this point, the woman assumes the title “wife.” Thus, becoming the same
flesh occurs in the act of marriage when a man leaves his father and mother
and unites himself with this woman who is now called “wife.”
752
Genesis 4:17, 19, 23: Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he
built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. … And Lamech took two
wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. … Lamech said to his wives:
‘Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for
wounding me, a young man for striking me.
753 Genesis 2:22: And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a
woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of
my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave
his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and
his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
340
A man cannot be a wife. The context of Genesis 2:24754 reveals that
Scripture’s title for Eve is “wife.” This is later affirmed in Genesis 2:25;755
3:8,756 and 20–21;757 and 4:1.758 Similarly, in Genesis 3:6,759 Adam is
given the title “husband.” A woman cannot be a husband. Adam was the
husband to Eve, and Eve was the wife to Adam. These definitions of “wife” as
being the woman in the marriage relationship and “husband” as the man in
the marriage relationship are further established by the pattern of mankind’s
earliest marriages which are found in Genesis 4:17, 19, and 23.760
Fifthly, Genesis 2:18–25 defines the family unit. When a man marries a
woman, they form a distinct family unit. Thus, a family unit consists of a man
and a woman who are married. Additionally, Genesis 2:24761 teaches that a
family unit may include children. In order to marry, the individual must leave
the parents. This is a breaking away from the individual’s existing family unit in
order to create a new family unit. Scripture notes that the parents are to
consist of a father and a mother—a man and a woman. A man does not leave
his fathers or mothers (plural), but rather his father and his mother (each
singular). He then creates a distinct family unit when he marries a woman.
754
Genesis 2:24: Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his
wife, and they shall become one flesh.
755 Genesis 2:25: And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
756 Genesis 3:8: And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the
cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among
the trees of the garden.
757 Genesis 3:20–21: The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all
living. And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
758 Genesis 4:1: Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I
have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.”
759 Genesis 3:6: So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a
delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate,
and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
The very definition of the terms “father” and “mother” as well as the context reveals that
this family unit consists of a man, a woman, and at least one child.
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HOMOSEXUALITY
Thus, Scripture clearly establishes a family unit as consisting of a man and a
woman who are married to one another and who may or may not have
children.
Sixthly, marriage is based upon a commitment before God to become one
flesh. Marriage is not based upon sexual union. No sexual union is mentioned
in the account of Adam’s taking of Eve as his wife or in his declaration
regarding marriage. In fact, we do not read about Adam and Eve having sexual
union until Genesis 4:1.762 Marriage is based upon a commitment, and it is
sealed by God. This is affirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:4–6 where He
answers a question regarding marriage, “‘Have you not read that he who
created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said,
‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his
flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.’”
God’s purpose and design for marriage in Genesis 2:18–25 precludes any
possibility of homosexual unions. God uses several means in the book of
Genesis to establish that the Biblical parameters of marriage are confined to a
man and a woman. Nevertheless, some will disagree, believing that this is
merely a matter of personal interpretation. Perhaps this is the reason why
Jesus affirmed this teaching in Matthew 19:4–6 and in Mark 10:6–9.763 In
these passages, Jesus addresses the topic of divorce. In His discourse, Jesus
affirms that God designed marriage to be between a man and a woman.
According to Jesus, the act of leaving father and mother and being united to
another is the consequence of God choosing to create both male and female.
Marriage only exists as a means of re-uniting male and female together to
create one flesh.
762
Genesis 4:1: Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I
have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.”
342
Rather than refer to cultural understanding, tradition, or the Law of Moses,
Jesus began His talk about divorce by alluding to Genesis 2 and the pattern
that God established for marriage. As such, Jesus’ teaching was not based
upon pagan practices of worship, the value of procreation, the Law of Moses,
or any other element which might relegate His words to a particular era of
human history and enlightenment. Instead, Jesus reaffirmed the timeless
principle of Biblical marriage as being between a man and a woman.
Marriage is a sacred act which is divinely accomplished. It is not the result of
man’s efforts. No man, whether or not he has been granted legal authority by
the State, can truly perform a marriage. It is God who unites the two together.
As such, marriage is more than just a loving commitment to one another.
Marriage is a sacred act which is divinely established. It is not a social construct
of men. Therefore, we do not have the authority to redefine marriage for any
reason.
Whether we agree with it or not, homosexual marriages are outside of God’s
established purpose and design for marriage. God has provided us with
numerous examples of Biblical marriages in Scripture, but no such example of
a homosexual marriage in offered. Nevertheless, some have claimed examples
such as the relationship between David and Jonathan. In every case, the
conclusion is read into the text. Often these examples are the result of failing
to understand the covenant language of the Biblical cultures.764 In any case,
there are no clear and positive examples of homosexuality in Scripture, and
there are no instances of homosexual marriages.
Because marriage is a sacred act which was established by God, we do not
have the authority to redefine marriage. We are not obligated to like what God
764
For an excellent evaluation of the claim that David and Jonathan had a homosexual
relationship, see Dr. Robert Gagnon’s presentation (Jim Garlow, Robert Gagnon: The Bible &
Homosexual Practice.).
343
HOMOSEXUALITY
has established. Neither must we agree with what God has established.
Nevertheless, we are expected to abide by what God has established. As with
every other issue, we are required to obey God’s standard even if society
rejects God’s standard. As Christians, we cannot condone homosexual
marriages.
The issue is not how committed the couple is to one another. The issue is one
of gender.765 Homosexual marriages do not conform to Scripture’s pattern of
marriage as being between a man and a woman. Consequently, all homosexual
marriages are unbiblical. Nevertheless, some Christian leaders today are defying
this Biblical principle. Instead of addressing Scripture’s full purpose and design
765
Gender refers to a scientific classification of sex. Gender is objective. It is not based upon
subjective feelings of personal identification. This is important considering the increasing trend toward
custom gender options. A 2014 CNN article titled, “Facebook goes beyond ‘male’ and ‘female’ with
new gender options,” reports, “In a nod to the ‘it's complicated’ sexual identities of many of its users,
the social network on Thursday added a third ‘custom’ gender option for people's profiles. In addition
to Male or Female, Facebook now lets U.S. users choose among some 50 additional options such as
‘transgender,’ ‘cisgender,’ ‘gender fluid,’ ‘intersex’ and ‘neither.’”
(Griggs, Brandon, “Facebook.”)
According to a 2014 Slate article titled “Here Are All the Different Genders You Can Be on
Facebook:”
Facebook told me it has no plans to publish a comprehensive list of the choices it offers. So we
took it upon ourselves to reconstruct it by typing each letter of the alphabet into the text field,
one at a time, and transcribing the options that appeared. We found 56 custom options,
bringing the total number of options to 58 including male and female. … Agender, Androgyne,
Androgynous, Bigender, Cis, Cisgender, Cis Female, Cis Male, Cis Man, Cis Woman, Cisgender
Female, Cisgender Male, Cisgender Man, Cisgender Woman, Female to Male, FTM, Gender
Fluid, Gender Nonconforming, Gender Questioning, Gender Variant, Genderqueer, Intersex,
Male to Female, MTF, Neither, Neutrois, Non-binary, Other, Pangender, Trans, Trans*, Trans
Female, Trans* Female, Trans Male, Trans* Male, Trans Man, Trans* Man, Trans Person,
Trans* Person, Trans Woman, Trans* Woman, Transfeminine, Transgender, Transgender
Female, Transgender Male, Transgender Man, Transgender Person, Transgender Woman,
Transmasculine, Transsexual, Transsexual Female, Transsexual Male, Transsexual Man,
Transsexual Person, Transsexual Woman, Two-Spirit.
(Oremus, “Here Are All the Different Genders.”)
344
for marriage they have chosen to focus only on the commitment factor of
marriage. In doing so, they have reduced God’s purpose and design for
marriage to a contractual commitment which is established between two
individuals and affirmed by the State. Such a definition of marriage eliminates
both God and gender from the equation, thus affording the possibility of
homosexual marriages.
Because of this redefining of Scripture’s terms, many Christians today are
affirming homosexual marriages. The key words in their arguments are
generally “love,” “commitment,” “monogamy,” and “fidelity.” Monogamy
means “marriage with only one person at a time” or “the practice of marrying
only once during life.”766 Fidelity means “loyalty” or “conjugal faithfulness.”767
In dealing with the issue of homosexual marriage, these modern Christian
leaders have attempted to bypass Scripture by choosing not to address whether
homosexuality is a sin, instead choosing to focus on the admirable qualities of
love, commitment, and monogamy. The assumption is that because Scripture
affirms these qualities, then we too must affirm and support these qualities
whenever and wherever they may be found. A prime example of this reasoning
can be found in a 2013 Unbelievable? radio discussion between Andrew
Wilson and Rob Bell.768 In response to the question, “Do you believe that this
is an area where actually God is ahead of the church, that affirming same-sex
partnerships is actually a God thing, and that we will eventually all get to see
that in the course of time?” Rob Bell said:
I think it’s time for the church to acknowledge that we have brothers and
sisters who are gay and want to share their life with someone. And this is
766
“Monogamy,” Dictionary.com.
“Fidelity,” Dictionary.com.
768 Founder and former pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church, Rob Bell was listed in Time Magazine
among the 100 most influential people in the world.
(Meacham, “The 2011 Time 100.”)
767
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HOMOSEXUALITY
a part of life in the modern world, and that’s how it is. And that cultural
consciousness has shifted. And that this is how the world is. And that
what’s happening for a lot of people is that they want nothing to do with
God and Jesus because they can’t see beyond that particular issue.
Andrew Wilson then asked the follow-up question, “So would you say, ‘I don’t
think that a guy having sex with a guy is sinful’?” Rob Bell answered:
I would begin with, “I am for monogamy; I am for fidelity; I am for
commitment. And I think the world needs more of that. And I am—think
that promiscuity is dangerous, and promiscuity is destructive. And some
people are gay and want to share their life with someone, and they
should be able to. And that’s how the world is, and we should affirm that.
And we should affirm monogamy, fidelity, and commitment—both gay
and straight.”769
We could spend entire chapters addressing the numerous errors that Rob Bell
has presented in this brief response. Instead, we will simply highlight a couple
of these errors. First, Rob Bell concludes that Christians must accept
homosexual marriages because modern culture has determined that this
practice is right and acceptable. “Cultural consciousness” has shifted and has
determined that this is the way that it must be.
Such reasoning places culture and circumstances above the authority of God’s
Word. This is a failure to recognize that God’s Word is delivered unto the
saints once and for all and is eternal, relevant, and sufficient for all generations
and cultures. God’s original intent does not change according to private
interpretation and popular opinion. These are truths which are affirmed in
769
officialpremiertv, “Rob Bell and Andrew Wilson.”
346
Jude 1:3,770 Matthew 24:35,771 2 Peter 1:19–21,772 and 2 Timothy
3:16–17.773 The spirit of antichrist denies the authority of God’s Word (1
John 5:10–12774). In other words, the spirit of antichrist places influences
such as culture and circumstances above the authority of God’s Word.
Regardless of how loving, tolerant, and spiritual Rob Bell’s argument may
sound, it is driven by the spirit of antichrist and should be rejected.
Furthermore, Rob Bell concludes that many people reject God, and His son
Jesus Christ, based on the issue of homosexuality. In other words, many
people cannot see past God’s stance on homosexuality, to see Jesus, so they
want nothing to do with God and with Jesus.775 Rob Bell’s implication seems
to be that many people cannot see past the intolerance of Christians who
believe that the Bible declares homosexuality to be a sin. However, the Bible
does declare homosexuality to be against God’s standard of holiness, and so it
is sin. Thus, Rob Bell is essentially declaring that people cannot see past God’s
standard for holiness in order to see how wonderful God is. Such reasoning
neglects the fact that God’s standard of holiness is intrinsic to who He is.
Essentially, we might understand Rob Bell as saying that people can’t see past
the part of God that they don’t like in order to see the part that they do like;
therefore, they want nothing to do with God. Consequently, he advocates that
770 Jude 1:3: Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I
found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to
the saints.
771 Matthew 24:35: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
772 2 Peter 1:19–21: And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you
will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning
star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s
own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God
as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
775 In no way is this sentence intended to teach that Jesus is distinct from God. Rather, this
sentence is intended to mean that people who are not saved and may not realize that Jesus and God
are the same, don’t want to hear about God or Jesus.
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HOMOSEXUALITY
we should alter our understanding and presentation of God’s holiness in order
to make Christianity seem more palatable. Not only is this reasoning ridiculous,
it is flat out unbiblical. 2 Corinthians 2:14–17 teaches that the truth of the
gospel is repugnant to some people:
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal
procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of
him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those
who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a
fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.
Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers
of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the
sight of God we speak in Christ.
The Apostle Paul warned us that some people will be repulsed by the truth.
God’s standard of holiness leads to conviction. Some respond to this conviction
by choosing to submit themselves to God. Others respond by defying or fleeing
the truth. Nowhere did the Apostle Paul encourage us to prevent this repulsion
by amending or softening our presentation of God’s truth. It is not our
responsibility to convict people and draw them to Christ. This is the
responsibility of the Holy Spirit (John 16:7–8776). Our responsibility is to
clearly present the truth. When we refuse to do this because we fear that
people will not respond well to that truth and may reject God, then we fail to
accomplish our duty before God.
Rob Bell, and many like him, choose to accept homosexual marriages as
acceptable because one aspect of some of those relationships match qualities
which Scripture affirms. During the same Unbelievable? radio discussion
776
John 16:7–8: Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for
if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he
comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
348
Andrew Wilson asked a very clear question, “So would you say, ‘I don’t think
that a guy having sex with a guy is sinful?’” Rob Bell refused to clearly answer
that question. In fact, after listening to Rob Bell’s response, Andrew Wilson
asked, “Is that a yes or a no?”777 Dodging the core question is a common
tactic for Rob Bell. He chose to speak about monogamy, fidelity, and
commitment instead of address whether the act of homosexuality is a sin. This
response only clouds the issue. Just because one facet of homosexuality may
be positive does not make the whole relationship positive. In fact, this is a
well-recognized logical fallacy.778 Consider the results of this reasoning if we
apply it to other areas. Is lying acceptable if it protects someone’s feelings? Is
murder acceptable if it brings “justice” that a corrupt judicial system was unable
to provide? Is robbery acceptable if the money is used to help those in need?
There may be some positive elements in each of these examples, but they do
not negate the sinfulness of the act itself.
It is true that the Bible affirms monogamy and fidelity, but the Biblical use of
these terms can refer only to the marriage and sexual union between a man
and a woman. Recall that monogamy means “marriage with only one person
at a time,”779 and fidelity means “loyalty,” or “conjugal faithfulness.”780 Never
does Scripture affirm monogamy between two members of the same sex.
Never does Scripture affirm sexual fidelity between two members of the same
sex. Monogamy and sexual fidelity in Scripture is always restricted to a marital
relationship between a man and a woman. Changing this essential context of
these terms fundamentally alters the significance of monogamy and fidelity. We
do not have the right to alter the original intent and definition of these terms
simply because their definition has changed within modern culture. Monogamy
777
Ibid.
Fallacy of Composition: “Description: Inferring that something is true of the whole from the
fact that it is true of some part of the whole.”
(Bennett, “Fallacy of Composition.”)
779 “Monogamy,” Dictionary.com.
780 “Fidelity,” Dictionary.com.
778
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and fidelity should be affirmed, but only if they are done within God’s
established parameters.
It may bother some people to hear that not all monogamy and fidelity should
be affirmed. Nevertheless, this is necessarily true in order to remain faithful to
Scripture. Consider, for example, an individual who shows fidelity to someone
who is not his spouse. It is fidelity, and yet it is a sin. Specifically, it is
fornication781 and sexual immorality. Monogamy and fidelity are only good
and admirable qualities if they are performed within Biblical parameters.
Also troubling about Christian leaders’ attempts to affirm homosexual
relationships based upon the “admirable” qualities of monogamy and fidelity is
that the political history of homosexuality has very little to do with monogamy
and fidelity. Because the GLBT community emphasized for so long that it is all
about sex, the term “homosexual” has largely become synonymous with
“sexual promiscuity.” It is hypocritical for the GLBT community to claim that
they are sexually enlightened because they recognize that their relationships
can be all about sex, and then turn around years later to say that they desire
committed monogamous relationships with one another.782
781 Definition of Fornication: “Voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or
two persons not married to each other.”
(“Fornication,” Dictionary.com.)
782 Bill Muehlenberg writes in his book Strained Relations:
More revealing, however, is this quote from a Los Angeles-based psychologist who counsels
homosexual men, as recorded in an April 1994 issue of a homosexual magazine:
Gay men are discovering new ways of being intimate with another man without excluding
the possibility of outside erotic experiences. … They’re relaxing a bit about what seems
like a normal healthy interest in sex outside relationships, after having been shamed in
the early days of AIDS. With all the talk about legalising marriage for gays, there’s an
assumption in the minds of most people I talk to that only rarely does that legalization
include monogamy.
(Muehlenberg, Strained Relations, 11–12.)
350
In his article “The Health Risks of Gay Sex,” Dr. John Diggs Jr. writes, “Gay
author Gabriel Rotello notes the perspective of many gays that ‘Gay liberation
was founded . . . on a ‘sexual brotherhood of promiscuity,’ and any
abandonment of that promiscuity would amount to a ‘communal betrayal of
gargantuan proportions.’’”783 Here we have a homosexual individual quoting
another homosexual individual to make the argument that sexual promiscuity is
one of homosexuality’s most precious tenets. Referencing a study by Alan Bell
and Martin Weinberg titled Homosexualities: A Study of Diversity Among Men
and Women, Dr. Diggs writes:
Rotello’s perception of gay promiscuity, which he criticizes, is consistent
with survey results. A far-ranging study of homosexual men published in
1978 revealed that 75 percent of self-identified, white, gay men
admitted to having sex with more than 100 different males in their
lifetime: 15 percent claimed 100–249 sex partners; 17 percent
claimed 250–499; 15 percent claimed 500–999; and 28 percent
claimed more than 1,000 lifetime male sex partners.784, 785
783
Diggs Jr., “The Health Risks of Gay Sex.”
Alan Bell and Martin Weinberg, Homosexualities: A study of Diversity Among Men and
Women (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978), 308, Table 7, Source: Diggs Jr., “The Health
Risks of Gay Sex.”
785 “An exhaustive 1978 Kinsey Institute study of homosexuality showed that 28 per cent of
homosexual males had sexual encounters with 1,000 or more males over a lifetime. And 79 per
cent said more than half of their sex partners were strangers. Only one per cent of sexually active men
had fewer than five lifetime partners.
784
The study concludes: ‘Little credence can be given to the supposition that homosexual men’s
‘promiscuity’ has been overestimated. … Almost half of the white homosexual males said that they had
at least 500 different sexual partners during the course of their homosexual careers.’”
(Muehlenberg, Strained Relations, 10.)
- Citing Charles Silverstein and Edmund White, Joy of Gay Sex (New York: Crown Pub.,
1977), cited in Cal Thomas, “Behavior does not deserve special protection”, Los Angeles
Times, February 4, 1993.
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Furthermore, Dr. John Diggs Jr. writes:
Monogamy for heterosexual couples means at a minimum sexual fidelity.
The most extensive survey of sex in America found that “a vast majority
[of heterosexual married couples] are faithful while the marriage is intact.”
The survey further found that 94 percent of married people and 75
percent of cohabiting people had only one partner in the prior year. In
contrast, long-term sexual fidelity is rare among GLB couples, particularly
among gay males. Even during the coupling period, many gay men do
not expect monogamy. A lesbian critic of gay males notes that:
“After a period of optimism about the longrange potential of gay
men’s one-on-one relationships, gay magazines are starting to
acknowledge the more relaxed standards operating here, with recent
articles celebrating the bigger bang of sex with strangers or proposing
“monogamy without fidelity”-the latest Orwellian formulation to
excuse having your cake and eating it too.”
Gay men’s sexual practices appear to be consistent with the concept of
“monogamy without fidelity.” A study of gay men attending circuit parties
showed that 46 percent were coupled, that is, they claimed to have a
“primary partner.” Twenty-seven percent of the men with primary
partners ‘had multiple sex partners (oral or anal) during their most recent
circuit party weekend. . . .” For gay men, sex outside the primary
relationship is ubiquitous even during the first year. Gay men reportedly
have sex with someone other than their partner in 66 percent of
relationships within the first year, rising to approximately 90 percent if
the relationship endures over five years. And the average gay or lesbian
relationship is short lived. In one study, only 15 percent of gay men and
17.3 percent of lesbians had relationships that lasted more than three
352
years. Thus, the studies reflect very little long-term monogamy in GLB
relationships.786, 787, 788
After considering the GLBT movement’s historical arguments, their literature,
and the various studies, one is compelled to conclude that only an
exceptionally small number of homosexuals truly desire a monogamous
marriage relationship to which they will remain faithful. Therefore, attempts to
answer the question of whether homosexuality is moral and righteous by
focusing on monogamy and fidelity avoid the essence of the question by
focusing on the extreme exceptions. These arguments are little more than a
Red Herring logical fallacy.789
786
Diggs Jr., “The Health Risks of Gay Sex.”
“In a study of 156 males in homosexual relationships, only seven couples claimed to have a
totally exclusive sexual relationship. But these seven were in relationships lasting less than five years.
The authors comment: ‘Stated another way, all couples with a relationship lasting more than five years
have incorporated some provision for outside sexual activity in their relationship.’”
(Muehlenberg, 13.)
- Citing David McWhirter and Andrew Mattison, The Male Couple: How Relationships
Develop (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1984), 252–253.
788 Australian homosexual activist Dennis Altman writes in his book The Homosexualization of
America:
787
While the idea that all lesbians seek totally monogamous relationships while all gay men reject
monogamy is clearly a myth, it does seem clear that among gay men a long-lasting
monogamous relationship is almost unknown. Indeed both gay women and gay men tend to be
involved in what might be called multiple relationships, though of somewhat different kinds. … A
large scale study of gay male couples in San Diego concluded that every couple together more
than five years had outside sexual contacts as a recognized part of the relationship.
(Altman, The Homosexualization of America, 187.)
789 Definition of Red Herring: “Description: Attempting to redirect the argument to another
issue that to which the person doing the redirecting can better respond. While it is similar to
the avoiding the issue fallacy, the red herring is a deliberate diversion of attention with the intention of
trying to abandon the original argument.”
(Bennett (2), “Fallacy of Composition.”)
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Regardless of whether the act of homosexuality is a sin, homosexual marriage
contradicts God’s established purpose and design for marriage. Therefore, as
Christians, we cannot support homosexual marriage regardless of how we, our
culture, or society feels about this issue.
Having considered the nature of marriage, we can progress to the question, “Is
the act of homosexuality a sin?” First of all, a distinction must be made
between having a particular inclination and acting upon that desire. For
example, a recovering drug addict may have a strong desire for his drug of
choice, but this desire is not inherently sinful. On the contrary, resistance of
this desire and temptation is admirable. It is only when he succumbs to his
desire that he sins.
As with most other sins, possessing a desire to do something is not sinful. If
this were the case, then we would be committing a sin every time that we are
tempted. However, temptation itself cannot be a sin because Jesus was also
tempted, yet He remained sinless. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a
high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in
every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Nevertheless, we
must be careful because James 1:14–15 teaches that sin is birthed in our
desires, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own
desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is
fully grown brings forth death.” When we desire something and begin to
imagine and lust after it, we often find ourselves acting upon that desire. No
homosexual is a sinner simply because he is attracted to members of his same
sex. Therefore, in this book, all references to homosexuality being a sin refer
to the act of homosexuality rather than the orientation.
So, back to our question, “Is the act of homosexuality a sin?” We have already
concluded that God defines marriage as a sacred act in which a man and a
woman are supernaturally joined together to become one flesh. Therefore,
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homosexual relationships are excluded from Biblical marriage. However, God
forbids sexual relationships outside of the confines of marriage. 1 Corinthian
6:18 which says, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person
commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his
own body.” Add to this 1 Corinthians 7:2 which says, “But because of the
temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each
woman her own husband.” Also, Hebrews 13:4 which says, “Let marriage be
held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will
judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” If sex outside of marriage is always
a sin, and if the Biblical definition of marriage precludes homosexual unions,
then the sexual union between two members of the same sex is always a sin.
There is never a time or circumstance in which the act of homosexuality is not
a sin.
Note that we have managed to conclusively determine Scripture’s position on
the morality of homosexuality without turning to any text which directly
addresses the subject of homosexuality. This is because the question can be
answered by observing Biblical principles. It is often argued that the Bible has
very little to say about the subject of homosexuality because there are only six
specific references to homosexuality. This is true, but it does not mean that
Scripture is not clear concerning the subject. Moreover, this is six specific
references more than countless other issues we face in life on a daily basis,
such as abortion, cigarette smoking, voter fraud, etc., yet we do not assume
that the Bible has no clear position regarding these other issues. If every action
and every circumstance were to be addressed in detail, then the Bible would
contain an unfathomable number of volumes. Instead, every action and every
circumstance can be addressed by comparing it against the principles
established in Scripture. This is why 2 Timothy 3:16–17790 teaches that the
790
355
See footnote 293.
HOMOSEXUALITY
Bible provides the Christian of every generation with everything necessary to
have a right relationship with God.791
What we discover in the Bible is that God addressed the issue of homosexuality
first according to principle. He then emphasized this by addressing the matter
directly. In so doing, God provided His people with a means of transcending
the quagmire of semantic debates and questions of cultural relevance. The
Christian need have no uncertainty or timidity regarding the morality of
homosexuality. According to the Biblical principle of marriage established in
Genesis 2 and affirmed by Jesus Christ in the gospels, homosexual marriages
are forbidden by God. According to the Bible’s teaching about fornication in 1
Corinthians and Hebrews, the act of homosexuality is always sinful because it
can never be accomplished within God’s established parameters for sexual
activity. Of course, these conclusions are also supported by those passages in
Scripture where the subject of homosexuality is directly addressed.
Throughout the entirety of Scripture, every reference to homosexuality is
negative: Leviticus 18:22;792 Leviticus 20:13;793 Rom. 1:24–27;794 1
Cor. 6:9–10;795 1 Tim. 1:9–10;796 and Jude 1:7.797 Some people
791 Every generation includes men of God. In order for these men to be complete and fully
equipped for every good work through Scripture, the Scriptures must be just as relevant and effective
in every generation.
792 Leviticus 18:22: You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
793 Leviticus 20:13: If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed
an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
794 Romans 1:24–27: Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to
the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a
lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For
this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations
for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and
were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving
in themselves the due penalty for their error.
795 1 Corinthians 6:9–11: Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the
kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
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attempt to circumvent the negativity of Scripture toward this practice by noting
that Jesus never addressed the issue of homosexuality directly. The assumption
is that homosexuality is either not a significant enough issue to merit Jesus’
attention, or that Jesus does not have a problem with it. In the first place, an
argument based on silence is never a particularly strong argument. Further,
Jesus never addressed many issues that we accept as sinful. For example, just
because Jesus did not specifically address bestiality does not mean that God
neither considers it important nor sinful. Moreover, it is true that Jesus never
addressed the issue of homosexuality directly, but Jesus did affirm God’s
purpose and design for marriage as a sacred union between a man and a
woman in Matthew 19:4–6798 and in Mark 10:6–9.799 In fact, in these
passages Jesus declares that marriage only exists because God created
opposite sexes. Thus, Jesus did answer the question, albeit indirectly.
To argue that Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 19 and Mark 10 does not answer
the question about homosexuality is like saying that Jesus’ parable of the Good
Samaritan does not answer the question about how Christians ought to treat
men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers
will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
796 1 Timothy 1:9–10: [U]nderstanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for
the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who
strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality,
enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,
797 Jude 1:7: [J]ust as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise
indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a
punishment of eternal fire.
798 Matthew 19:4–6: He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the
beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his
mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but
one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
799 Mark 10:6–9: “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become
one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not
man separate.”
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illegal immigrants. Similarly, it is like reading John chapter 8 and concluding
that Jesus never claimed to be God. When a person connects some very basic
dots, it is evident that Jesus was telling the people that He is God. In John
8:14–18,800 Jesus said that His testimony is sufficient, yet only God can
testify alone. Jesus also said that His testimony is the testimony of God the
Father. In verse 23,801 Jesus said that He is not of this world. In verse 24,802
Jesus said that He can forgive sins. In verse 42,803 Jesus declared that He
came from God. In verse 46,804 Jesus said that He is sinless, yet only God is
sinless. And in verse 58,805 Jesus took upon Himself the name of God—“I
AM.” This was not missed by the Jews, which is why in verse 59,806 they
took up stones, intending to stone Jesus to death for blasphemy. To the
person who is willing to critically evaluate what He is reading, there can be no
question that Jesus was affirming His deity in John chapter 8. Likewise, to a
person who is willing to critically evaluate Matthew 19 and Mark 10, there
can be little question as to whether Jesus condoned homosexual marriages.
In addition to observing God’s purpose and design for marriage, the negativity
of Scripture toward homosexuality, and Jesus’ indirect teaching on the subject,
800
John 8:14–18: Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is
true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or
where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my
judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your Law it is
written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the
Father who sent me bears witness about me.”
801 John 8:23: He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this
world; I am not of this world.”
802 John 8:24: “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he
you will die in your sins.”
803 John 8:42: Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came
from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.”
804 John 8:46: Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not
believe me?
805 John 8:58: Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
806 John 8:59: So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out
of the temple.
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we can further conclude that homosexuality is a sin by observing its
relationship to the Law of Moses. The immoral nature of homosexuality
transcends the Law of Moses. Homosexuality was considered to be a sin by
God before the giving of the Law, and it remained a sin after the Law of
Moses was fulfilled in Christ.
The book of Leviticus records the giving of the Law. In Leviticus chapter 18,
homosexuality is grouped with a number of primarily sexual sins. In verses 6–
18,807 incest is forbidden, which is having sexual relations with a close
relative. In verse 19,808 sexual relations with any woman who is menstruating
is forbidden. In verse 20,809 adultery is forbidden. In verse 21,810 infanticide
is forbidden, which is the killing of an infant. In Leviticus 18:22,811
807
Leviticus 18:6–18: “None of you shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover
nakedness. I am the LORD. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the
nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not
uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness. You shall not uncover the
nakedness of your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether brought up in the
family or in another home. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or of your
daughter’s daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness
of your father’s wife’s daughter, brought up in your father’s family, since she is your sister. You shall
not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s relative. You shall not uncover
the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s relative. You shall not uncover the
nakedness of your father’s brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. You shall
not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife, you shall not uncover her
nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, and you shall not take her son’s
daughter or her daughter’s daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are relatives; it is depravity. And
you shall not take a woman as a rival wife to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is
still alive.
808 Leviticus 18:19: “You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is
in her menstrual uncleanness.”
809 Leviticus 18:20: And you shall not lie sexually with your neighbor’s wife and so make
yourself unclean with her.
810 Leviticus 18:21: You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so
profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
811 Leviticus 18:22: You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.
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homosexuality is forbidden. And in verse 23,812 bestiality is forbidden, which is
having sexual relations with an animal.
At the end of Leviticus chapter 18, God declares that it was because of these
sins that God abhorred the nations who inhabited the land before the Israelites.
Homosexuality was one of the sins which prompted God to judge those
nations and to cast them out of the land. According to Leviticus 18:22, and
24–30:
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. …
“Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these
the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the
land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited
out its inhabitants. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do
none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who
sojourns among you (for the people of the land, who were before you,
did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the
land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the
nation that was before you. For everyone who does any of these
abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their
people. So keep my charge never to practice any of these abominable
customs that were practiced before you, and never to make yourselves
unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.”
This is later repeated in Leviticus 20:13, and 23, “If a man lies with a male
as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall
surely be put to death; their blood is upon them. … And you shall not walk in
the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all
these things, and therefore I detested them.”
812
Leviticus 18:23: And you shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with
it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.
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As God is giving the Law, He declares that He has already judged nations for
failure to follow some of these commands. How can this be? These nations did
not possess the Law to know what is right and wrong in the eyes of God.
Romans 2:14–15 provides the answer to this question. It teaches that God
has placed His Law within the hearts of all men. Romans 2:14–15 says,
“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law
requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their
conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even
excuse them.” This is often termed “natural law.” This is why every civilization
has had laws against such things as murder, stealing, adultery, etc. Written on
the heart of every man is an inherent understanding that the acts listed in
Leviticus 18 are immoral, and this is why a righteous God could justly abhor
the nations who practiced these activities and could judge them with all justice.
The immoral nature of these acts is universal in scope and is eternal in time.
Their sinfulness preceded the giving of the Law. As such, these particular acts
cannot be compared against other portions of the Law of Moses which were
only for a season of time, such as dietary laws. Homosexuality was a sin before
the Law of Moses was given, and it remained a sin after the Law of Moses was
fulfilled in Christ. It defies natural law which is what the Apostle Paul
references in Romans 1:26–27, “For this reason God gave them up to
dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those
that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with
women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing
shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their
error.”
One final question which should be addressed because of its prevalence among
debates about homosexuality is, “Is homosexuality natural?” In many ways, we
have already answered this question. If homosexuality defies natural law, then it
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cannot be natural. Nevertheless, some have contended that homosexual
tendencies are natural to our physiology, so it cannot be wrong. The
assumption is that if it is natural, and if it makes a person happy, then it must
be ok. In fact, it must be how God designed that person, so God must want
that lifestyle for him. Consider for a moment how foolish this line of reasoning
is when applied to other “natural” desires that make people happy. Some
people are “naturally” inclined toward fornication, but 1 Corinthians 6:18 813
and Hebrews 13:4814 teach that fornication is sinful. Some people are
“naturally” inclined toward sadism. Nevertheless, Zechariah 8:17815 and Mark
12:31816 teach that God hates sadism. Others are “naturally” inclined toward
incest, but God declares that He hates this in Leviticus 18:10, and 30.817
Still others are “naturally” inclined toward drug or alcohol addictions. However,
God commands against these in Ephesians 5:18818 and 2 Timothy 1:7.819
Just because a person has a “natural” affinity toward something and it makes
him happy does not necessarily mean that God supports those actions. We are
fallen creatures who live in a fallen world. Desires which are “natural” are not
always pure. This is why Galatians 5:24 says, “And those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” And
Ephesians 4:22–23 says, “to put off your old self, which belongs to your
813 1 Corinthians 6:18: Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is
outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
814 Hebrews 13:4: Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be
undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
815 Zechariah 8:17: “[D]o not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false
oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.”
816 Mark 12:31: “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no
other commandment greater than these.”
817 Leviticus 18:10, 30: “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or of
your daughter’s daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness. … So keep my charge never to
practice any of these abominable customs that were practiced before you, and never to make
yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.”
818 Ephesians 5:18: And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with
the Spirit,
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former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be
renewed in the spirit of your minds,”
Interestingly enough, many who affirm homosexuality because it is “natural”
and it makes people happy will decry these other activities. How is it that
these other “natural” desires which make people happy are not acceptable
while homosexuality is? Once again, we encounter an inconsistency in
reasoning.
According to a Contender Ministries article titled, “What the Bible Says About
Homosexuality,” “In 1993, Dean Hamer of the National Cancer Institute
claimed to have found a genetic link to homosexuality. Yet in 1999, the
results of an intensive study by the University of Western Ontario found that
Hamer was in error.820 Furthermore, the completion of the Human Genome
Project in 2003 allowed for the construction of gene maps for both the X
and Y chromosomes, “And yet, neither the map for the X nor the Y
chromosome contains any ‘gay gene.’”821 The truth is that after all the
attempts to show a genetic cause for homosexuality, no such genetic cause has
been found.822, 823 We could very quickly find ourselves in the weeds debating
820
“Doubt cast on ‘gay gene.’”
Harrub, “‘This Is The Way God Made Me’.”
822 “Evan S. Balaban, a neurobiologist at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, noted that,
‘the search for the biological underpinnings of complex human traits has a sorry history of late. In
recent years, researchers and the media have proclaimed the ‘discovery’ of genes linked to alcoholism
and mental illness as well as to homosexuality. None of the claims ... has been confirmed.’ Charles
Mann agreed, stating: ‘Time and time again, scientists have claimed that particular genes or
chromosomal regions are associated with behavioral traits, only to withdraw their findings when they
were not replicated.’”
(Harrub, “‘This Is The Way God Made Me’.”)
- Citing Charles Mann, “Behavioral Genetics in Transition,” Science 264 (June 17,
1994): 1687.
- Citing John Horgan “Gay Genes, Revisited,” Scientific American 273 (November,
1995): 26.
821
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various studies, theories, and observations regarding whether homosexuality is
natural to our physiology. However, we do not need to stray into the weeds.
Scripture provides us with the answer. Romans 1:26–27 teaches that
823
At the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in February of
2014, John Michael Bailey presented findings that there are genes involved in male sexual
orientation. From this, Bailey concluded, “Sexual orientation has nothing to do with choice. We found
evidence for two sets [of genes] that affect whether a man is gay or straight. But it is not completely
determinative; there are certainly other environmental factors involved.” Bailey provided his opinion in
the first sentence of this statement and then immediately contradicted his own assessment when he
admitted that homosexual orientation cannot be determinative. This study merely supports what one
might expect—that what causes male sexual attraction has a genetic component whose influence is
unknown combined with an individual’s response to environmental factors. If there were no genetic
component to male sexual orientation, then it would be difficult to explain why some men—whether
homosexual or heterosexual—prefer particular traits while others do not. That this level of genetic
influence, combined with environmental influences may affect whether an individual is attracted to
members of the same sex is common sense. According to The Guardian:
Last year, before the latest results were made public, one of Bailey’s colleagues, Alan Sanders,
said the findings could not and should not be used to develop a test for sexual orientation.
“When people say there’s a gay gene, it’s an oversimplification,” Sanders said. “There's more
than one gene, and genetics is not the whole story. Whatever gene contributes to sexual
orientation, you can think of it as much as contributing to heterosexuality as much as you can
think of it contributing to homosexuality. It contributes to a variation in the trait.”
The Guardian also reports:
The flawed thinking behind a genetic test for sexual orientation is clear from studies of twins,
which show that the identical twin of a gay man, who carries an exact replica of his brother’s
DNA, is more likely to be straight than gay. … While genes do contribute to sexual orientation,
other multiple factors play a greater role, perhaps including the levels of hormones a baby is
exposed to in the womb.
In short, Bailey’s findings have not substantiated the claim that homosexual individuals are born with a
genetic predisposition to homosexuality which determines their sexual orientation. If anything, Bailey
has provided a study which, according to his own statement, leads us to conclude that homosexuality is
not determinative and is necessarily greatly influenced by environmental factors.
(Sample, “Male sexual orientation.”)
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homosexuality is not natural to our physiology, “For this reason God gave
them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural
relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up
natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one
another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves
the due penalty for their error.”
People are not born as homosexuals. Instead, there are a number of
contributing factors which may lead a person to believe that he is homosexual.
The environment, primary influences, ingestion of excessive levels of
hormones, sexual education, media, friends, trauma, natural confusion during
sexual development, etc. are all influencing factors. However, according to
Romans 1:21, the primary factor is a refusal to submit to the authority of
God. Romans 1:21 says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor
him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and
their foolish hearts were darkened.” Homosexuality is not the consequence of
something physical, it is the consequence of something spiritual.
According to Romans 1:18–32, homosexuality is a judgment from God. God
does not cause the individual to become a homosexual. Rather, this is God
giving man over to the sinful desires of his own heart. The judgment is that
God permits man to become fully enslaved to the sin that he has already
embraced. Romans 1:18–32 says:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has
shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power
and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of
the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give
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thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish
hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and
exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal
man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave
them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of
their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about
God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them
up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations
for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up
natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one
another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in
themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit
to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what
ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of
unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder,
strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God,
insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous
decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only
do them but give approval to those who practice them.
According to Romans chapter 1, the invisible qualities of God can be
understood through creation. We have already discovered this. In our earlier
study of evolution, we determined that through creation, we can know that the
cause of all things must be infinite, eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent,
omniscient, moral, spiritual, volitional, truthful, loving, and living. According to
verse 21, those who were judged did recognize these qualities of God. We are
told that they knew God, but they held these truths in unrighteousness. They
knew God’s decree, but they refused to acknowledge God and approved of
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those who broke His decree. Consequently, God gave them over to the sinful
desires of their hearts.
One of these desires was the desire to replace God. According to Romans
1:23, they placed the creation above God and followed after idolatry. The
epitome of this is the worship of the human body. Because they chose to
follow after lies and after the creation, they became inflamed with lust for those
whom God had never intended for them.
Homosexuality is referred to in verse 26 as “dishonorable passions.” The King
James Version uses even stronger language, referring to homosexuality as “vile
affections.”824 Many today, such as Rob Bell, affirm these affections. They call
these affections love, and they claim that God would affirm these passions.
However, God has already declared them to be “dishonorable” and “vile.” We
would do well to recall the warning of Isaiah 5:20 which says, “Woe unto
them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for
darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
What God has called evil, let no man call good. God has declared that
homosexual affections are “vile” and “unseemly,” and He has declared that
homosexuality is against nature. This necessitates that homosexuality is not
true Biblical love because according to 1 Corinthians 13:5, true love does not
behave itself unseemly. 1 Corinthians 13:5 says that love, “Doth not behave
itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;”
There is only one sense in which homosexuality is natural. It is not natural to
our physiology, but it is natural to our fallen spiritual condition. Homosexuality
is listed under the title “effeminate” as one of the fruits of the sinful nature in
1 Corinthians 6:9–11:
824
Romans 1:26 (KJV): For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For
their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
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HOMOSEXUALITY
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of
God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the
greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom
of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by
the Spirit of our God.
Homosexuality is one of the byproducts of rejecting God, and it is a
characteristic of our fallen sinful nature. However, Scripture calls the Christian
to put to death his old nature along with its lusts and passions. Romans 8:1–
2 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the
law of sin and death.” Also, Romans 12:1–2 says, “I appeal to you therefore,
brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be
conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that
by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect.” Likewise, Galatians 5:16–17 says, “But I say, walk
by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
When a person is saved, he chooses to relinquish those desires and habits
which displease God, and he becomes a new man. This is a voluntary decision
to put God’s desires above his own desires. Just because someone had an
addiction to drugs, was abusive, was a liar or a thief, or was sexually immoral
before getting saved does not make this behavior acceptable before God after
he is saved. Likewise, just because someone practice homosexuality before
getting saved does not make this behavior acceptable before God after he is
saved. Romans 6:12–14 encourages us, “Let not sin therefore reign in your
mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to
sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those
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who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as
instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since
you are not under law but under grace.” Someone with a homosexual
orientation may struggle with homosexual tendencies all of his life, but every
person struggles with his sinful nature throughout his life. Even the Apostle
Paul struggled with sinful desires. Paul wrote about his personal struggle with
sinful tendencies in Romans 7:14–25.825
When we cut through personal feelings and experiences along with the
common arguments in support of homosexuality, which are rooted in
deconstructionism, situational ethics, and politics, we are compelled to conclude
that homosexuality is a sin. There is simply no way that a Christian can
embrace homosexuality without actively opposing Christ and undermining His
efforts according to Matthew 12:30.826 When a person becomes a Christian,
he becomes a new man. This does not mean that he will never again struggle
with the lusts and passions of his old sinful nature. However, God has broken
the power that sin has over our lives according to Colossians 2:15.827
Through Christ, we can be victorious over sin.
825
Romans 7:14–25: For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under
sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I
hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who
do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For
I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want,
but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I
who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies
close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law
waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my
members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God
through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh
I serve the law of sin.
826 Matthew 12:30: Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with
me scatters.
827 Colossians 2:15: He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by
triumphing over them in him.
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HOMOSEXUALITY
When a person becomes a Christian, he is voluntarily choosing to set aside
anything and everything which displeases God. The issue is not whether
homosexuality is natural. The issue is not whether a homosexual lifestyle
makes a person happy. The issue is not whether the two are committed to one
another. The issue is whether homosexuality displeases God. About this,
Scripture is clear. God abhors homosexuality according to Leviticus 20:13,
and 23, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of
them have committed an abomination: … And ye shall not walk in the manners
of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things,
and therefore I abhorred them.”
Never forget that God may abhor the sin of homosexuality, but He loves the
individual. In fact, it is precisely because of this love that God has been honest
and has revealed how destructive this life-style truly is both physically and
spiritually. It is God’s desire that every person allow God to forgive their sins
and to transform them into a new creation through Jesus Christ (2 Cor.
5:17828). The sin of homosexuality is no more egregious than every other
sin—the very sins that once defined each of us. It is only through the grace of
God that we have been redeemed. This is the reminder of the Apostle Paul in
1 Corinthians 6:9–11, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not
inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves,
nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the
kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed,
you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (emphasis added)
Some view these verses as being too harsh because it refers to people
according to their sin, and it says that they will not inherit the kingdom of God.
828
1 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has
passed away; behold, the new has come.
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But the focus of this text is not upon who will miss out on an eternity of God’s
blessings. It is on the fact that God desires to save each and every one of these
people. It does not bring God pleasure to sentence people to hell. 2 Peter
3:9829 declares that God’s desire is that every person be saved. However,
there is only one means by which a person can be saved. He must repent. He
must submit his will to God’s will and allow Jesus Christ to wash his sins
away—something which is only made possible through His death, burial, and
resurrection. 1 Corinthians 6:9–11830 is a passage of hope. It conveys that
no person need be forever defined by his past sin. It is a passage which says
that every person can be freed from the bondage of his sin because God’s love
is wide enough to forgive his past if he is simply willing to renounce it and turn
to God for forgiveness and cleansing.
Difficult as it may be, we as Christians need to be willing to declare this truth
to those who are enslaved by the sin of homosexuality. It is not loving to
ignore the eternal consequences of sin. Sometimes love must be tough, and the
truth must be shared. But neither is it loving to declare these consequences
without also sharing about the love and forgiveness that God offers as a
solution. We must also keep in mind that this sin is no worse than our own
sins, and were it not for the grace of God, we would be sharing in the same
consequences of these sins.831 There is absolutely nothing which makes us
more deserving of God’s love and forgiveness than the homosexual, so we
should never look down upon the homosexual, or any other individual, because
of his lifestyle. Rather, we are called to extend to all people the love of Christ.
We must be honest, but we must also be filled with love. According to 1 John
3:10, “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the
829
2 Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is
patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
831 John 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
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HOMOSEXUALITY
children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God,
nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
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Conclusion
Truly our struggle is ultimately spiritual in nature. Whether it be sexual
orientation, transhumanist aspirations, or Eastern mysticism, today’s current
social issues are grounded in an attitude which is first established in the
spiritual realm and then manifested in the physical realm. This is an attitude of
rebellion which sets itself in place of or against Jesus Christ and the things of
God, an attitude referred to in Scripture as the spirit of antichrist.
Perhaps it is because of the insidious and pervasive nature of this spirit that
God has provided His people with seventy-six characteristics by which to
define the spirit of antichrist, and five litmus tests to identify it. Specifically, the
spirit of antichrist:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Denies that Jesus has come to earth in the flesh
Is a deceiver and a liar
Denies that Jesus is the Messiah—or the Christ
Denies God’s testimony
At its core, the spirit of antichrist is truly a denial of the gospel message. As
such, it is this mindset which is our true enemy as Christians. There is nothing
wrong with battling against the physical manifestations of this spirit, but in
doing so, we should always keep in mind that they are merely symptoms of
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CONCLUSION
the true disease. As Ephesians 6:12 says, “[W]e do not wrestle against flesh
and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic
powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly places.”
For additional appendices and much more information on these topics,
please visit www.InquisitiveChristianity.com. Other books by Timothy
Zebell are also available on this site.
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Appendix A.1
The Antichrist
All Scripture in this appendix comes from the King James Bible
unless otherwise noted.
The Bible has much to say regarding the individual known as “Antichrist.” An
entire book could be devoted to this topic alone. According to Koinonia House
Institute, Antichrist has thirty-three titles in the Old Testament, and thirteen in
the New Testament.832 Needless to say, the study of Antichrist is not a simple
matter. Merely tracing these titles through Scripture is itself an impressive feat.
Some of these titles for Antichrist are national identifiers:
1) The Assyrian (Isa. 10:5, and 12;833 Isa. 30:31834)
2) The Babylonian (Isa. 14:4835)
832
“Topical Bible Study.”
Isaiah 10:5, 12 (KJV): O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is
mine indignation. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work
upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and
the glory of his high looks.
834 Isaiah 30:31 (KJV): For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten
down, which smote with a rod.
833
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APPENDIX A.1 – THE ANTICHRIST
3) The Greek (specifically, the Seleucian) (Dan. 8:8–9836)
4) The Roman (Dan. 9:26837)
How is it that the Antichrist can be an Assyrian, a Babylonian, a Seleucid
Greek, and also a Roman? It appears as though Scripture has presented an
unbelievable picture of the Antichrist. Nevertheless, Scripture does not
contradict itself. There is an answer to this seeming paradox.
To begin with, it is significant that each of these nationalities belong to the
seven-headed dragon of Revelation 12:3,838 which according to verse 9,839
is Satan. According to Revelation 17:9–10,840 each of the dragon’s heads
represents a world kingdom under the authority of Satan:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Egypt
Assyria
Babylon
Media-Persia
Greece
835
Isaiah 14:4 (KJV): That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and
say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
836 Daniel 8:8–9 (KJV): Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong,
the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. And
out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and
toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
837 Daniel 9:26 (KJV): And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not
for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and
the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
838 Revelation 12:3: And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with
seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.
839 Revelation 12:9: And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is
angels were thrown down with him.
840 Revelation 17:9–10: This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven
mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is,
the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.
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6) Rome
7) The final world empire
In Revelation 17:11–13, we learn that “the beast,” whom we commonly call
“Antichrist,” belongs to these seven kingdoms. This is reinforced by the
description of Antichrist and his kingdom in Revelation 13:1, “And I stood
upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven
heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the
name of blasphemy.” Antichrist’s kingdom is defined by the inclusion of each
of these seven kingdoms. Furthermore, the imagery of this passage directly
links Antichrist with the Devil and his world kingdoms in Revelation 17:9–
10. In fact, in Revelation 13:4, we are told that Antichrist will derive his
authority from Satan, “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power
unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the
beast? who is able to make war with him?”
In Revelation 17, we learn that the Antichrist is unique among the kings of
the world empires in that he does not establish a new empire. Rather, the text
says that he belongs to the seven empires which existed before him. In this
sense, it is not surprising that Scripture would refer to him as the Assyrian, the
Babylonian, the Seleucid Greek, and the Roman. These are four of the seven
world kingdoms that were governed by Satan and that will comprise the
Antichrist’s kingdom. Thus, they will all be one in essence during the time of
the Antichrist’s reign. However, there is a further relationship between these
titles.
Each of the first six world kingdoms represented by the seven-headed
dragon/Antichrist were incorporated into the next kingdom. The majority of
the territory controlled by Egypt was incorporated into Assyria. Likewise the
majority of the territory controlled by Assyria was incorporated into Babylon,
which was incorporated into Media-Persia, which was incorporated into
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Greece, which was incorporated into Rome. Following this pattern, the seventh
world kingdom will include the territory controlled by Rome. The identity of the
seventh kingdom is highly debated. Some speculate that it may have been the
Ottoman Turk Empire. The fact that the Antichrist is an eighth king who does
not establish his own kingdom necessitates that there be a seventh world
kingdom which followed the Romans. Given the pattern of the first six
kingdoms, we can be reasonably certain that this seventh kingdom also
incorporated the majority of the territory controlled by the Romans.
Technically, someone who controls the territory of the seven kingdoms and is
governed and empowered by the same spirit could be considered an Egyptian,
Assyrian, Babylonian, Median-Persian, Greek, and Roman. However, a more
precise fulfillment of these national titles would be if he originated from the
geographic area that was controlled by each of these kingdoms. According to
this theory, Antichrist would come from an area which was controlled by all
seven world kingdoms. When we overlay the maps for each kingdom, we
quickly discover that this comprises a very restricted geographic region that is
comprised of the modern-day countries of Syria and south-eastern Turkey.
Even more impressive is Scripture's detailed account of Antichrist’s future reign
in Daniel 11:21–45. However, we must first lay the foundation for this
incredible prophecy by examining the first part of Daniel chapter 11. Because
a comprehensive consideration of this most incredible prophecy of political
power struggles would prove to be highly technical, I will merely touch upon
the highlights. To do so, I will rely heavily upon The Bible Knowledge
Commentary, by John Walvoord and Roy Zuck:841
Daniel 11:1–2 – “Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood
to confirm and to strengthen him. And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold,
there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer
841
Witmer, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 1366–1372.
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than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against
the realm of Grecia.”
Daniel was told that after Darius the Mede, would come four Persian
kings. Among these kings, the most powerful would be the fourth, who
proved to be King Xerxes, also known as Ahasuerus from the book of
Ruth. As we might expect, this was fulfilled precisely as it was prophesied.
History records the identity of these kings:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Cambyses (530 – 521 B.C.)
Pseudo-Smerdis (522 – 520 B.C.)
Darius I Hystaspes (521 – 486 B.C.)
Xerxes (485 – 465 B.C.)
Daniel 11:3-4 – “And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great
dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his
kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven;
and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his
kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.”
Alexander the Great was a mighty Greek who conquered the territory of
modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Egypt, and the Median-Persian empire
within five years (334 – 330 B.C.) At the age of thirty-two, he died of
Malaria, and his empire was divided between his four generals, none of
whom were his sons:
1)
2)
3)
4)
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Seleucus ruled Syria and Mesopotamia
Ptolemy ruled Egypt
Lysimacus ruled Thrace and part of Asia Minor
Cassander ruled Macedonia and Greece
Daniel 11:5–6 – “And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his
princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion
shall be a great dominion. And in the end of years they shall join themselves
together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the
north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm;
neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that
brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these
times.”
When Antigonus attacked Babylon, Seleucus I Nicator (king of the north)
secured the aid of Ptolemy I Soter (king of the south), the king of Egypt.
After defeating Antigonus in 312 B.C., Seleucus I ruled over Babylonia,
Media, and Syria. Thus, he controlled far more territory than Ptolemy I.
Seleucus’ grandson, Antiochus II Theos, and Ptolemy's son—Ptolemy II
Philadelphus—warred with each other until reaching a peace agreement
through the marriage of Ptolemy II's daughter, Bernice, to Antiochus II.
To facilitate such an arrangement, Antiochus II divorced his wife, Laodice
who later had Bernice killed and poisoned her former husband, Antiochus
II.
Daniel 11:7–10 – “But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in
his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of
the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: And shall
also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their
precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than
the king of the north. So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom,
and shall return into his own land. But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall
assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and
overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his
fortress.”
380
Ptolemy II Philadelphus was succeeded by Bernice's brother—Ptolemy III
Euergetes. At this point, Laodice—Bernice’s murderer—had set her son,
Seleucus II Callinicus as king. As retribution for his sister’s death, Ptolemy
III (king of the south) attacked Seleucus II (king of the north). He
defeated the Syrian army, killed Laodice, and carried many captives and
goods back to Egypt.
In retaliation, Seleucus II unsuccessfully attempted to invade Egypt. As
was prophesied, Ptolemy III remained in power as he watched not only
Seleucus II die, but also his successor, Seleucus II Soter who was
assassinated while on a military campaign against Asia Minor. However,
his successor—Antiochus III the Great—successfully pushed Egypt—at this
time Ptolemy IV Philopator—back to the southern borders of Israel in a
conflict which lasted from 219 to 217 B.C.
Daniel 11:11–13 – “And the king of the south shall be moved with choler,
and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and
he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his
hand. And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up;
and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened
by it. For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude
greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a
great army and with much riches.”
Ptolemy IV Philopator (king of the south) responded to Antiochus III the
Great’s successful military campaign by bringing a large army to resist the
invasion of Antiochus III (king of the north) at Israel’s southern borders.
At first, Ptolemy was victorious, having severely reduced Antiochus III’s
forces. However, Antiochus III soon returned with a far greater army and
turned back Ptolemy IV’s forces.
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Daniel 11:14–17 – “And in those times there shall many stand up against
the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to
establish the vision; but they shall fall. So the king of the north shall come, and
cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south
shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any
strength to withstand. But he that cometh against him shall do according to his
own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious
land, which by his hand shall be consumed. He shall also set his face to enter
with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall
he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she
shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.”
Philip V of Macedonia allied with Antiochus III the Great against Egypt.
Even some of the Jews joined Antiochus III. Most likely, they fought
believing that they would receive freedom if they helped the king of the
north push the king of the south out of Israel. However, this did not
happen. Instead, Antiochus III firmly established himself in Israel. Having
done so, he tried to create peace between Egypt and Syria by offering his
daughter in marriage to Ptolemy V Epiphanes. However, this proved to
be unsuccessful.
Daniel 11:18–19 – “After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall
take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by
him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.
Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall
stumble and fall, and not be found.”
Not content, Antiochus III the Great expanded his military endeavors to
include a campaign against Asia Minor in 197 B.C. and another against
Greece in 192 B.C. These were unsuccessful because Rome sent the
commander, Cornelius Scipio to turn back Antiochus III. He was
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successful, and Antiochus III the Great returned home only to die a year
later in 187 B.C.
Daniel 11:20 – “Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the
glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in
anger, nor in battle.”
Antiochus III the Great was succeeded by his son, Seleucus IV Philopator.
He levied heavy taxes upon the people in order to pay Rome, but his
treasurer—Heliodorus—poisoned him.
Daniel 11:21–35 – “And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom
they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably,
and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they
be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the
covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he
shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter
peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that
which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter
among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his
devices against the strong holds, even for a time. And he shall stir up his
power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and
the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty
army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. Yea,
they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall
overflow: and many shall fall down slain. And both these kings' hearts shall be
to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper:
for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. Then shall he return into his
land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he
shall do exploits, and return to his own land. At the time appointed he shall
return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the
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latter. For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be
grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he
do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy
covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the
sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall
place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against
the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their
God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the
people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by
captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be
holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And
some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to
make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time
appointed.”
This portion of the prophecy has a dual fulfillment. It appears to refer to
both the historical figure known as Antiochus IV Epiphanes as well as the
coming Antichrist. Recognizing this, we understand Antiochus IV
Epiphanes to be a type of Antichrist. In other words, he is a prefiguring—or a foreshadow—of the Antichrist. This is not unusual as
Scripture is filled with types: Adam, Melchizedek, Joseph, etc.
Antiochus IV called himself Epiphanes which means “the Illustrious One.”
Nevertheless, he was so untrustworthy that that his followers called him
Epimanes which means “the Madman.”
Antiochus IV was not the rightful successor of Seleucus IV Philopator.
That right belonged to Demetrius Soter, but Antiochus IV declared
himself to be king. He succeeded because he managed to deter an
invading army.
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Antiochus IV rose in power with the help of a small number of people.
He tried to bring peace by redistributing wealth from the rich to his
followers. Once he had secured his kingdom, Antiochus IV invaded Egypt
and vanquished a large army in 170 B.C. Professing friendship with
Egypt, the two sat at a table together and exchanged lies. Ultimately,
peace failed because of their deception. While returning home with much
wealth, Antiochus IV vented his frustration over a failed mission on the
Jews. He desecrated their temple and then returned to his homeland.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes came against Egypt a second time two years
later. However, the Romans opposed him. Popillius Laenas delivered a
letter from the Roman senate which prohibited Antiochus IV from waging
war with the Egyptians. Furious, he again vented his fury against the
Jews, desecrating the temple and removing the daily sacrifices. He sent
his general, Apollonius, into Jerusalem on a “peace mission” with
twenty-two thousand soldiers who attacked the Jews on the Sabbath.
In an attempt to eliminate Judaism, Antiochus IV Epiphanes prohibited
the Jews from performing their religious practices and ordered all copies
of the Law to be burned. Moreover, on December 16, 167 B.C., he set
up an altar to Zeus atop the altar of burnt offering outside the temple and
sacrificed a pig. He then demanded that the Jews offer their own pig on
December 25th each year in honor of his birthday. He even persuaded
many to worship Zeus by offering them a great reward. Those who
refused were persecuted and martyred. However, their suffering purified
them and ultimately led to the rise of the Maccabean revolt. Ultimately,
Antiochus IV Epiphanes died in Persia in 163 B.C., having lost his mind.
Daniel 11:36–45 – “And the king shall do according to his will; and he
shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak
marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation
385
be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he
regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god:
for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the
God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with
gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he
do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge
and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall
divide the land for gain. And at the time of the end shall the king of the south
push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind,
with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into
the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the
glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape
out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of
Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land
of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold
and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and
the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the
north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy,
and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his
palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to
his end, and none shall help him.”
Beginning in verse 36, the description of this final king deviates from the
histories of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. It does not appear as though we
have completely changed kings—simply that we are moving beyond the
parallels between Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Antichrist. Therefore, it
would appear as though Antichrist will initially parallel the reign of
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but ultimately, he will rise to even greater levels
of blasphemy and force.
386
From Daniel 11, we learn that Antichrist will come to power through political
intrigue and diplomacy (v.21). He will not receive his authority through
political succession. Interestingly enough, the political authority of today’s world
community—the United Nations—is similarly established. The nations of the
world elect the Secretary General of the United Nations according to political
ramifications, and not according to bloodline. (This is not to say that the
United Nations will be the kingdom of the Antichrist, but merely that the
scenario of Daniel 11:21 remains very believable today.)
History reveals that Antiochus IV Epiphanes secured support for his claim to
the throne by turning away an invading army. Likewise, some believe that
Daniel 11:22 teaches that Antichrist will come to power at a time of great
threat to the world and will secure power by eliminating or concluding the
threat.
Daniel 11:23–24 could teach that Antichrist will be a socialist or a
communist. He will use his growing strength to redistribute wealth. Certainly
today's international community has long advocated wealth-redistribution. Even
the Republic of the United States of America finds itself slowly embracing the
tenets of Marxism as the extreme political left exerts more influence.
Communism with its foundational principle of wealth-redistribution is very
much alive and well in the world today and has always been a means of
attracting the masses. However, the administration of United States President
Barack Obama provides an illustration for us, revealing that political authorities
may be more interested in redistributing wealth among their supporters to
solicit their help than they are in giving to those truly in need. The massive
amounts of money taken from the American tax payers and bestowed upon
political supporters, international banks, and environmentally friendly businesses
during President Barak Obama’s administration is astonishing. Daniel 11:23–
24 could prophesy that Antichrist will make his political supporters very
wealthy. In any case, Antichrist will employ some form of wealth-redistribution.
387
Similar to his predecessors in Daniel chapter 11, Antichrist will wage war with
the king of the south. In Daniel 11, this king consistently represents Egypt.
This does not necessitate that Antichrist’s military endeavors will be focused
upon Egypt, but it is the most likely interpretation.
Whoever the king of the south may be, Antichrist's military campaign against
him will be unsuccessful. It will result in a failed peace treaty or cease fire
agreement. Consequently, Antichrist will again move against the king of the
south. However, this time he will be opposed by ships from the western
coastlands. Some interpret this to mean America. Others make the case that
Chittim is a reference to England. However, Chittim is most likely a reference
to Cyprus, which is located in the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, this could
refer to a naval force from a Mediterranean Union of nations. It could also be
that NATO ships prevent Antichrist by moving a fleet into the Mediterranean
Sea. In any case, Antichrist will encounter a deterrent which will cause him to
turn back (Dan. 11:29–30).
Somehow the conflict with the king of the south, or the events surrounding it,
will be connected to Israel and the covenant that Antichrist had previously
confirmed. We just considered the political shift occurring within Egypt today.
Islamic extremists are gaining influence within Egypt. One of these extremist
organizations—the Muslim Brotherhood—even managed to get one of their
members842 elected into the Egyptian presidency for a time. There has even
been a return to terrorist actions against Israel by some within Egyptian
borders. Therefore, it is entirely conceivable that a conflict with Egypt could be
directly linked to Israel in some way. (Keep in mind that today’s political
situation could be a far cry from the reality which will exist at the time of the
end. Nevertheless, by considering modern politics, we can learn that the
prophecies in Daniel are realistic. They foretell events which would not be
surprising future headlines.)
842
“Profile: Egypt’s Mohammed Morsi.”
388
It is important to note that until this point, we have been observing events that
will occur within the first three and a half years of Antichrist’s reign. Antichrist
will rise to power in the name of peace, but he will not be a peaceful man.
Instead, he will go to war multiple times within the first three and a half years
of his authority. In many ways, by observing the actions of President Barack
Obama, we can envision how a political leader can be viewed as a man of
peace while simultaneously acting as a man of war. President Obama
campaigned on a platform of peace, promising to withdraw American troops
from the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of war. He even received the Nobel
Peace Prize. However, during his first three years of office, President Obama
increased the number of troops in both the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters.
Additionally, he sent American forces into Egypt and Libya. In an effort to
console the American people, President Obama said that these were not wars,
but rather “kinetic military action.”843 He has commissioned the use of aerial
drones to kill an estimated minimum of 2,537 Pakistanis within the first five
years of his presidency,844 and he has seriously considered waging war with
Iran and Syria.845 All-the-while, he has alienated U.S. allies and has engaged
Japan and China in economic warfare.
Likewise, the United Nations serves as a modern example of how military
conflict can be viewed by the public as an act of peace. The United Nations
has engaged itself in wars and conflicts since its inception. However, it calls
these actions “peace keeping” or “peace enforcement” operations. With such
prominent examples of warring acts of “peace,” it is not difficult to imagine
how the Antichrist may lead people to war under the banner of peace keeping
or peace enforcement.
843
Schell, “Libya.”
Wikipedia. “Drone Attacks in Pakistan.”
845 Scott, “Obama considers military options.”
Weisbrot, “Can war with Iran be prevented?”
844
389
Antichrist will conspire with those who are opposed to the covenant that he
confirmed with Israel (Dan. 11:30). Before long, he will use an army to
conquer the city of Jerusalem. It is at this time that Antichrist will order the
removal of the daily sacrifices and the erecting of the abomination of
desolation. Moreover, this will result in great persecution and martyrdom of the
saints (Dan. 11:32–35). Many believe that at this time, Antichrist will be
possessed by the Devil himself. In any event, we know that he will derive his
power from Satan and will exalt himself as god above all gods (Dan. 11:36–
39).
In the final days of Antichrist’s reign, he will quickly begin to lose power. The
king of the south will push against him, and the king of the north will come
upon him like a whirlwind. Antichrist will invade and conquer many countries
and will even enter into Israel. However, the modern day country of Jordan
will escape. Antichrist will conquer Egypt, but the Libyans and the Ethiopians
will be at his steps. Then, tidings will come from the north which will cause
him to mobilize his army. Ultimately, he will be defeated when he wages war
against God Himself during the battle of Armageddon (Dan. 11:40–45).
Certainly Scripture provides us with a detailed understanding of the Antichrist’s
kingdom, motivation, authority, and actions. Although he has 46 titles in
Scripture, there can be little doubt as to why his most common title today is
“Antichrist.” At every turn, he will seek to resist and supplant Jesus Christ.
Truly this individual will be the embodiment of the spirit of antichrist.
390
Appendix A.2
Spiritual Ranks of Authority
Jesus taught a hierarchy of spiritual powers when He spoke in Luke 11:2426 of unclean spirits which are more wicked than other unclean spirits,
“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,
seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I
came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then
goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and
they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the
first.” Not every spirit is equal.
Scripture does not present every classification of spiritual power, but it does
provide five lists which identify what appear to be the key classifications of
angelic beings that humans encounter. One of these lists—Ephesians 6:12—
contrasts these titles against that which is flesh and blood. As such, the titles in
these lists necessarily refer to spiritual beings. In each of the below lists, the
Greek title, or an abbreviation of that title, is included in parenthesis:
Colossians 1:16 – “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”
391
APPENDIX A.2 – SPIRITUAL RANKS OF AUTHORITY




Thrones (Thronos)
Dominions (Kuriotes)
Rulers (Arche)
Authorities (Exousia)
Ephesians 1:21 – “[F]ar above all rule and authority and power and
dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but
also in the one to come.”




Rulers (Arche)
Powers (Dunamis)
Ephesians 6:12 – “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over
this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
places.”




Rulers (Arche)
Cosmic Powers Over this Present Darkness (Kosmokrator)
Spiritual Forces of Evil in the Heavenly Places (Poneria)
Romans 8:38 – “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor
rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,”


Angels (Aggelos)
Rulers (Arche)
392

Powers (Dunamis)
1 Peter 3:22 – “[W]ho has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of
God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.”



Angels (Aggelos)
Powers (Dunamis)
Elsewhere, Scripture offers some additional classifications of spiritual powers:
1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven
with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the
sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”
Jude 1:9 – “But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil,
was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce
a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’”

Archangel (Archaggelos)
Daniel 10:13,20–21 – “The prince of the kingdom of Persia
withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes,
came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, … Then he
said, ‘Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to
fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince
of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of
truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except
Michael, your prince.”
393
APPENDIX A.2 – SPIRITUAL RANKS OF AUTHORITY
Daniel 12:1 – “‘At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who
has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as
never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time
your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found
written in the book.”

Chief Prince / Great Prince (Ri'shon Sar)
Revelation 9:11 – “They have as king over them the angel of the
bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called
Apollyon.”

King (Basileus)
From the above passages, we can determine the following classifications of
spiritual authority among angels and fallen angels:











Thrones (Thronos)
King (Basileus)
Archangel (Archaggelos)
Great Prince (Ri'shon Ri'shon)
Rulers (Arche)
Cosmic Powers Over this Present Darkness (Kosmokrator)
Spiritual Forces of Evil in the Heavenly Places (Poneria)
Powers (Dunamis)
Angel (Aggelos)
394
Appendix B.1
Montanism
Mysticism has plagued the church from its inception. Because of this, it is not
surprising to find large Christian denominations today which have succumbed
to the mystical. “Mysticism,” as defined by Merriam-Webster.com, is “The
belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be
attained through subjective experience (as intuition or insight).”846 The
methods used to receive these subjective experiences cannot be found in
Scripture, and sometimes they contradict the clear teachings of the Bible.
Instead of trusting in the sufficiency of Scripture, these denominations have
sought new revelation from God. Instead of depending upon the rules of
proper Bible interpretation, they have chosen to depend upon their feelings to
determine the meaning of Scripture. Instead of building upon the foundation
established by Jesus Christ and His apostles, they have fancied themselves to
be extensions of the apostles. As such, they have lain a new foundation for the
church.
The first of these secondary apostles was a man by the name of Montanus.
The dates for the founding of Montanus’ ministry vary. The reason for this
discrepancy is that all writings of Montanus and his followers were eventually
846
395
APPENDIX B.1 - MONTANISM
destroyed by the early church. As we will soon see, the church considered the
teachings of Montanus to be heresy and actively fought against them.
Consequently, we are today left with precious few records. Nevertheless, it is
generally believed that Montanus began his ministry around 156 A.D.
It is important to realize that the Bible had only been completed sometime
between 54 and 96 A.D. The apostle John most likely wrote the book of
Revelation between 81 and 96 A.D.847—only 75 years or less before the
ministry of Montanus. During his ministry, there were probably still some alive
who had lived during the lifetime of the apostles. Realizing that this is not a
time far removed from the ministry of Christ and His apostles, we can be
confident that their teachings were still fresh in the hearts and minds of the
early church. With this in mind, let us consider what the historian Eusebius
reports about Montanus:
A recent convert, Montanus by name, through his unquenchable desire
for leadership, gave the adversary opportunity against him. And he
became beside himself, and being suddenly in a sort of frenzy and ecstasy,
he raved, and began to babble and utter strange things, prophesying in a
manner contrary to the constant custom of the Church handed down by
tradition from the beginning. Some of those who heard his spurious
utterances at that time were indignant, and they rebuked him as one that
was possessed, and that was under the control of a demon, and was led
by a deceitful spirit, and was distracting the multitude; and they forbade
him to talk, remembering the distinction drawn by the Lord and his
warning to guard watchfully against the coming of false prophets? But
others imagining themselves possessed of the Holy Spirit and of a
prophetic gift, were elated and not a little puffed up; and forgetting the
847
The historians Irenaeus, Clement, and Eusebius all write that the Roman emperor Domitian
exiled the Apostle John to the island of Patmos, and that after Domitian died, John was allowed to
return home. Domitian ruled from 81 to 96 A.D.
396
distinction of the Lord, they challenged the mad and insidious and
seducing spirit, and were cheated and deceived by him. In consequence of
this, he could no longer be held in check, so as to keep silence.
9 Thus by artifice, or rather by such a system of wicked craft, the devil,
devising destruction for the disobedient, and being unworthily honored by
them, secretly excited and inflamed their understandings which had
already become estranged from the true faith. And he stirred up besides
two women, and filled them with the false spirit, so that they talked wildly
and unreasonably and strangely, like the person already mentioned. And
the spirit pronounced them blessed as they rejoiced and gloried in him,
and puffed them up by the magnitude of his promises. But sometimes he
rebuked them openly in a wise and faithful manner, that he might seem
to be a reprover. But those of the Phrygians that were deceived were few
in number. And the arrogant spirit taught them to revile the entire
universal Church under heaven, because the spirit of false prophecy
received neither honor from it nor entrance into it.
10 For the faithful in Asia met often in many places throughout Asia to
consider this matter, and examined the novel utterances and pronounced
them profane, and rejected the heresy, and thus these persons were
expelled from the Church and debarred from communion.848
Eusebius is a well-respected historian. In his account of Montanus, Eusebius is
careful to note why the church opposed his practices. As mentioned above,
those living during the time of Montanus were not far removed from Christ
and His apostles. Their teachings were still fresh in the minds of the people.
Consequently, Eusebius records that when Montanus began to claim new
revelation from God, they were quick to remember the warning of Christ to
848
Eusebius, Ante Nicene Fathers, “Chapter XVI The Circumstances Related of Montanus and
His False Prophets,” Source: Early Christian Writings, “Anonymous.”
397
guard themselves against the coming false prophets. Further, they recognized
that the prophecies of Montanus were not in accord with God’s historical
tradition of delivering prophecies to His people. They realized that whatever
Montanus was doing, it was not coming from God.
Eusebius describes Montanus’ prophecies as “ravings” and “babblings” from a
man who was in a “sort of frenzy.” Montanus was displaying a lack of selfcontrol which was another obvious sign that Montanus’ prophesies were not
coming from inspiration by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:31–32, and
40 says, “For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all
be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. … But all
things should be done decently and in order.” Clearly, Montanus was not in
control of his own spirit but rather “became beside himself.” His conduct was
not one of order but rather a “frenzy.” Scripture is clear that inspiration from
the Holy Spirit does not overpower a person’s ability to control himself, and
He will always produce an orderly and decent word from the Lord. This was
not true of Montanus. Instead, the historian Neander records that, “He fell into
certain states of ecstatic transport, in which, no longer master of his own
consciousness, but made the blind organ, as he fancied, of a higher spirit, he
predicted, in oracular, mystical expressions, fresh persecutions of the Christians
…”849
Following the exhortation of Scripture in Titus 1:10–11, and 13, the church
rebuked Montanus and refused to allow him to prophesy and teach, “For there
are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those
of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting
whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. …
This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound
in the faith,” Nevertheless, Montanus won over a following and began a cult
that is known today as Montanism.
849
Neander, General history, 206.
398
Among those in his following, were two women named Maximilla and Priscilla.
These two became the chief advocates of this new cult and assumed the roles
of prophetesses. Once again, Montanism is shown to have had an aversion to
sound Biblical teaching because 1 Timothy 2:12 says, “I do not permit a
woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain
quiet.” Clearly, Scripture prohibits using two women to instruct and lead the
church. Consequently, we can be certain that the prophecies of Maximilla and
Priscilla were not from the Lord because God never contradicts His Scriptures.
If God commanded that women were not to teach or to exercise authority over
men in the church, then God will not use women to teach the church His new
revelation. Neither will God choose to use two women to lead His church.
The testimonies of Montanus, Maximilla, and Priscilla give further evidence that
God was not the author of their confusion. Montanus once said, “I am come
neither as an angel, nor as an ambassador, but as God the Father.” 850 He also
declared, “I am the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit.” 851 Consequently,
some believe that Montanus thought himself to be God. More likely, this was
Montanus’ way of expressing that his words were the very words of God.
Montanus believed that he had direct and special communication with God. He
also believed that he would have a prominent role in the imminent appearing
of the kingdom of heaven. He was certain that God had told him that the
kingdom of heaven would be established on earth within his lifetime. Needless
to say, this prophecy remains unfulfilled. Therefore, Montanus was a false
prophet.
Similarly, Maximilla and Priscilla claimed to have direct and special
communication with the Holy Spirit. Like Montanus, there is controversy over
whether Maximilla believed herself to be Jesus Christ because she once said,
850
851
399
Ephiphaneus, Heresies, xlvii.11, Source: Evidence for Christianity, “Church History,” 5.
Didymus, On the Trinity, III.41, Source: Evidence for Christianity, “Church History,” 5.
“Hear not me, but hear Christ.”852 Most likely, she too was purporting to have
the authority to attribute God as the author of the words that she was
declaring. Nevertheless, the words of prophecy she shared did not come to
pass. Therefore, Maximilla was herself a false prophetess.
Priscilla once delivered a prophecy in which the New Jerusalem would descend
from heaven and be established in Pepuza. Pepuza is located in modern-day
Turkey and was the hometown of Montanus. Priscilla received this prophecy in
a night vision in which she claimed that Jesus slept beside her in the form of a
woman clad in a bright cloth. Setting aside the affront to Christ inherent in this
account, this prophecy, like so many others, was never fulfilled. Therefore,
Priscilla was also a false prophetess.
False prophecies are yet another indicator that whatever was occurring within
Montanism was not from God. Deuteronomy 18:20–22 says:
“But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have
not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods,
that same prophet shall die.” And if you say in your heart, “How may we
know the word that the LORD has not spoken?”—when a prophet
speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or
come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet
has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
Given these verses, we are compelled to conclude that Montanus, Maximilla,
and Priscilla spoke presumptuously. They did not receive their prophecies from
God.
852
Ephiphaneus, Heresies, xlvii.11, Source: Evidence for Christianity, “Church History,” 5.
400
The primary teaching of Montanism was that they were experiencing the
fulfillment of John 14:26.853 The Holy Spirit had come to purify the church
in anticipation of the imminent return of Christ to establish His kingdom in
Pepuza, Turkey. To facilitate this, it was believed that the Holy Spirit gave
special revelation which was delivered through prophets who spoke in ecstatic
and trance-like states. Everyone was encouraged to fast and pray in order that
they too might be blessed by becoming a vessel for God’s modern revelation.
They believed that they were the extension and final recipients of the apostolic
gifts. Consequently, the words of prophesy that they received were to supplant
the words of the apostles and even of Jesus Christ Himself.854 However, God
does not change His Word or contradict Himself. God’s revelation is sufficient
for all generations. Isaiah 46:9–10 says, “[R]emember the former things of
old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet
done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’”
Montanus also believed that he had the gift of speaking in tongues. However,
this gift seems to have been limited to Montanus. It was not bestowed upon
any of his followers.
Montanism was clearly unbiblical. It defied several clear exhortations of
Scripture, and it depended upon prophets whose prophecies were never
853
854 The early church father Hyppolytus wrote about the Montanists:
They have been deceived by two females, Priscilla and Maximilla by name, whom they hold to
be prophetesses, asserting that into them the Paraclete spirit entered. . . . They magnify these
females above the Apostles and every gift of Grace, so that some of them go so far as to say
that to them there is something more than Christ. . . . They introduce novelties in the form of
fasts and feasts, abstinences and diets of radishes, giving these females as their authority.
(Henry Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church, 77 (London: Oxford, 1963), Source:
MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos, 86.)
401
fulfilled. Consequently, many of the church leaders from the surrounding area
met together in the Council at Constantinople. There they declared Montanism
to be a heresy and its practices to be equivalent to paganism.855 Montanism
eventually dissipated, and history proved the ruling of this council to be
accurate.
Nevertheless, more than 1,500 years later, Montanism again reared its head.
The core practices of Montanism—the continuation of apostolic gifts, the
continuation of divine revelation, emotionalism, and a lack of self-control—reemerged in a series of religious movements which C. Peter Wagner has termed
“the three waves of the Holy Spirit,” which are Pentecostalism, the
Charismatic Movement, and the Signs and Wonders Movement.856 Although
not all within these denominations condone Montanism, many today consider
them to be Neo-Montanism. There are even some within the Charismatic
Movement who proudly acknowledge Montanus as integral to their lineage.
Thus, Montanus, a heretic who was rejected by the church for practices which
were deemed to be equivalent to paganism, can be considered the original
founding father of Charismatic mysticism.
Today, this Charismatic mysticism is highly popular around the world.
However, Christians must be careful. The early church rejected mysticism when
it universally rejected Montanism, and their reasons were clear and Biblically
based. Why is it, then that today’s church is so confused and divided over this
same issue? God does not change. What was unbiblical 2,000 years ago
remains unbiblical today. In their pursuit of spiritual passion and relevancy,
Christians must not allow their emotions to supplant the sufficiency of
Scripture. Instead, today’s church would do well to once again reject mysticism.
855
MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos, 88.
Charles Peter Wagner, The Third Wave of the Holy Spirit: Encountering the Power of Signs
and Wonders Today (Vida Publishers, 1986), Source: Apologetics Index, “Third Wave.”
856
402
Appendix B.2
Christian Leaders
Who Embrace, Emulate, and/or Promote
Contemplative Mystics
The following comes from a December 10, 2012 Lighthouse Trails article
titled “100 Top Contemplative Proponents Evangelical Christians Turn To
Today.”
(http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=8359)
This is from 10 years of research at Lighthouse Trails. The list includes those
authors who directly teach contemplative prayer as well as those who have
consistently promoted contemplative prayer teachers. All of the names below
are in one of these two categories. …
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
403
Adele Alhberg Calhoun
Agnes Sanford
Alan Jones
Anne Lamott
Anthony de Mello
Basil Pennington
APPENDIX B.2 – CHRISTIAN LEADERS WHO EMBRACE, EMULATE, AND/OR PROMOTE CONTEMPLATIVE MYSTICS
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
Beatrice Bruteau
Bernard of Clairvaux
Beth Moore
Bill Hybels
Brennan Manning
Brian McLaren
Brother Lawrence
Calvin Miller
Carl McColman
Chuck Smith, Jr.
Dallas Willard
Dan Kimball
Daniel Goleman
David Benner
David Crowder
David Steindl-Rast
Desert Fathers
Doug Pagitt
Emilie Griffin
Eugene Peterson
Evelyn Underhill
Gary Thomas
Gerald May
Gerald Sittser
Henri Nouwen
Hildegard of Bingen
J.P. Moreland
Jack Canfield
James Goll
Jan Johnson
Jean-Nicholas Gru
404
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
405
John Coe
John Michael Talbot
John Ortberg
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
Julian of Norwich
Karl Rahner
Keith Drury
Ken Blanchard
Ken Boa
Keri Wyatt Kent
Kurt Bjorklund
Kyle Strobel
Larry Crabb
Laurie Beth Jones
Leighton Ford
Leonard Sweet
Liz Babbs
Madame Guyon
Maggie & Duffy Robbins
Marcus Borg
Marjorie Thompson
Mark Driscoll
Mark Virkler
Mark Yaconelli
Max Lucado
Meister Eckhart
Michael Card
Mike Bickle
Mindy Caliguire
Morton Kelsey
Pete Greig
APPENDIX B.2 – CHRISTIAN LEADERS WHO EMBRACE, EMULATE, AND/OR PROMOTE CONTEMPLATIVE MYSTICS
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89.
90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.
99.
Pete Scazzero
Peter Senge
Philip St. Romain
Phillip Yancey
Phyllis Tickle
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Pope Benedict XVI
Richard Foster
Richard Peace
Richard Rohr
Richard Rolle
Rick Warren
Rob Bell
Robert Webber
Ruth Haley Barton
St Anthony
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Ignatius Loyola
St. John of the Cross
St. Teresa of Avila
Sue Monk Kidd
The Cloud of Unknowing by an Anonymous Monk
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Keating
Thomas Merton
Tilden Edwards
Todd Bentley
Tony Campolo
Tony Jones
Tricia Rhodes
William Paul Young
406
100. William Shannon
407
Appendix B.3
Contemplative Books
The following comes from a December 10, 2012 Lighthouse Trails article
titled “The Top 50 ‘Christian’ Contemplative Books – A ‘NOT
RECOMMENDED Reading List’ and 25 Christian ‘Bridgers’ to Them.”
(http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?tag=john-eldredge)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
A World Waiting to Be Born by M. Scott Peck
Awakened Heart by Gerald May
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening by Cynthia Bourgeault
Centering Prayer by Basil Pennington
Chicken Soup for the Soul books by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor
Hansen
Contemplative Prayer by Thomas Merton
Contemplative Youth Ministry by Mark Yaconelli
Emergence, the Rebirth of the Sacred by David Spangler
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero
Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer by Richard
Rohr
Finding God by Ken Kaisch
God’s Joyful Surprise by Sue Monk Kidd
408
14. Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God’s Transforming
Presence by Ruth Haley Barton
15. Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality by Philip St. Romain
16. Lead Like Jesus by Ken Blanchard
17. Naked Spirituality by Brian McLaren
18. Open Heart, Open Mind by Thomas Keating
19. Original Blessing by Matthew Fox
20. Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
21. Reimagining Christianity by Alan Jones
22. Sabbatical Journey by Henri Nouwen
23. Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas
24. The Sacred Way by Tony Jones
25. Seeds of Peace by William Shannon
26. Setting the Gospel Free by Brian C. Taylor
27. Silence on Fire by William Shannon
28. Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson
29. Spiritual Classics by Richard Foster and Emilie Griffin
30. Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
31. Spiritual Friend by Tilden Edwards
32. The Big Book of Christian Mysticism by Carl McColman
33. The Cloud of Unknowing by Anonymous Monk
34. The Coming of the Cosmic Christe by Matthew Fox
35. The Healing Light by Agnes Sanford
36. The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg
37. The Jesus We Never Knew by Marcus Borg
38. The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg
39. The Mission of Mysticism by Richard Kirby
40. The Mystic Heart by Wayne Teasdale
41. The Naked Now by Richard Rohr
42. The Other Side of Silence by Morton Kelsey
43. The Papa Prayer: The Prayer You’ve Never Prayed by Larry Crabb
409
APPENDIX B.3 – CONTEMPLATIVE BOOKS
44.
45.
46.
47.
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
The Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning
The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen
The God of Intimacy and Action: Reconnecting Ancient Spiritual
Practices, Evangelism, and Justice by Tony Campolo
48. The Soul at Rest by Tricia Rhodes
49. When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd
50. When the Soul Listens by Jan Johnson
410
Appendix B.4
Organizations Helping
to Bring Contemplative Spirituality
Into the Church
The following comes from a 2012 Lighthouse Trails article titled “50 Top
Organizations With a Significant Role in Bringing Contemplative Spirituality to
the Church.”
(http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=8460)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
411
Acts 29 Network
American Association of Christian Counselors
American Bible Society
Association for Biblical Higher Learning
Association of Theological Schools (ATS)
Baker Books (Emersion)
Bible.org
Boundless Webzine (FOF)
Breakforth (Canada)
Center for Action and Contemplation
Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL)
Christian Missionary Alliance
APPENDIX B.4 – ORGANIZATIONS HELPING TO BRING CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY INTO THE CHURCH
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
Christianity Today
Emergent Village
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Focus on the Family
Group Magazine
Henri Nouwen Society
IHOP-KC
Intervarsity Press
Kairos School of Spiritual Formation
Conversations Journal
Leadership Network
Lifeway Resources
Mennonite Brethren
Mennonite Church, USA
Metamorpha
National Worship Conference
NavPress
New Church Specialties
Presbyterian Church USA
Relevant Magazine
Renovare
Robert E. Webber Institute for Spiritual Studies
Saddleback Church
Sojourners
Spiritual Directors International
Teen Mania
The Church of the Nazarene
The Ooze
The Purpose Driven Movement
The Upper Room
Thomas Nelson Publishers
412
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
413
Transforming Center
Wesleyan Church
Willow Creek Association
Worship Leader Magazine
Youth Ministry & Spirituality Project
Youth Specialties
Zondervan
Appendix B.5
Christian Colleges and Seminaries that Promote
Contemplative Spirituality
The following comes from a 2012 Lighthouse Trails article titled “Christian
Colleges that Promote Contemplative (i.e., Spiritual Formation).” Within the
original article, web-linked examples are included for many of these
institutions.
(http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/Colleges.htm)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Abilene Christian University
Acadia Divinity College
Nova Scotia, CA
ACTS Seminaries of Trinity Western University
BC, Canada
Alberta Bible College
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Ambrose University
American Christian College & Seminary
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
414
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
415
Anderson University
Anderson, IN
Anderson University
Anderson, SC
Ashland Theological Seminary
Ashland, OH
Assemblies Of God Theological Seminary
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
Valley Forge Christian College Branch Campus
Phoenixville, PA
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
SOUTHEASTERN COLLEGE BRANCH CAMPUS
Lakeland, Florida
Azusa Pacific University
Haggard School of Theology
Azusa, CA
Baptist Theological Seminary of Southern Africa
Barclay College
Haviland, Kansas
Baylor University
Waco, TX
Beeson Divinity School
Birmingham, AL
Belmont University
Nashville, Tennessee
Bethel University
St. Paul, MN
Bethel Seminary
San Diego, St. Paul, East Coast campus
Biblical Theological Seminary
Hatfield, PA
APPENDIX B.5 – CHRISTIAN COLLEGES & SEMINARIES THAT PROMOTE CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY
22. Biola University
23. Briercrest Bible College
Saskatchewan, Canada
24. Bryan College
Dayton, TN
25. California Baptist University
Riverside, CA
26. Calvin College
Grand Rapids, MI
27. Campbell University
Buies Creek, NC
28. Campbellsville University
Campbellsville, KY
29. Canadian Mennonite University
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
A Contemplative Approach To Youth Ministry
30. Carey Institute
Vancouver, BC
31. Cedarville University
Cedarville, OH
32. Christian Theological Seminary
Indianapolis, IN
33. Christian University (GlobalNet)
ministry of RBC Ministries – online
34. Cincinnati Bible Seminary (of Cincinnati Christian University)
Cincinnati, OH
35. Cincinnati Christian University
Cincinnati, OH
36. Corban University
Salem, OR
416
37. Colorado Christian University
Lakewood, CO
38. Columbia Theological Seminary (Presbyterian)
Decatur, GA
39. Columbia International University
Columbia, SC
40. Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids, MI
Spiritual Formation Department
41. Dallas Theological Seminary
Dallas, TX
42. Drew University
Madison, NJ
43. Duke Divinity School (Duke Univeristy)
Durham, NC
44. Eastern Mennonite Seminary
Harrisonburg, VA
45. Eastern University
St. Davids, PA
46. Emmanuel Bible College
Kitchner, Ontario, CA
47. Emmanuel School of Religion
Johnson City, Tennessee
48. Fresno Pacific University
(Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary)
Fresno, CA
49. Fuller Theological Seminary
Various Campuses Throughout US
50. George Fox University Seminary
Newberg, Oregon
417
51. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary
California and Arizona
52. Gordon College
Wenham, Massachusetts
53. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
South Hamilton, MA
54. Grace Theological Seminary
Winona Lake, IN
55. Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ
56. Greenville College
Greenville, IL
57. Harding University
Searcy, AR
58. Harding School Of Theology
Nashville, TN
59. Hope College
Holland, MI
60. Hope International University (AKA: Pacific Christian College)
Fullerton, CA
61. Houghton College
Houghton, NY
62. Indiana Wesylan University
63. Intervarsity Christian Fellowship NW
Portland, OR
64. John Brown University
Siloam Springs, AR
65. John Wesley College
Africa
66. Lancaster Bible College
Lancaster, PA
418
67. Lee University
Cleveland, TN
68. Le Tourneau University
Longview, TX
69. Lincoln Christian University
Lincoln, IL
70. Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
71. Lipscomb University
Nashville, TN
72. Luther Rice Seminary/University
Lithonia, GA
73. Mars Hill Graduate School
Bothell, WA 98021
74. Malone College
Canton, OH
75. Messiah College (Brethren in Christ Church)
Mechanicsburg, PA
76. MidAmerica Nazarene University
Olathe, Kansas
77. Milligan College
Milligan College, TN
78. Montreat College
Montreat, NC
79. Moody Bible Institute
Chicago, Illinois
80. Mount Vernon Nazarene
81. Multnomah University
Portland, Oregon
82. Nebraska Christian College
Papillion, NE
419
83. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
New Orleans, LA
84. Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
aka Northern Seminary
Lombard, Chicago, Rockfor, IL,
85. Northeastern Seminary
Rochester, NY
86. Northpark University
and Northpark Theological Seminary
(Evangelical Covenant Church)
87. Northwest Nazarene University
Nampa, ID
88. Northwestern College
Orange City, IA
89. Northwestern College (University of Northwestern)
St. Paul, MN
90. Nyack College
Nyack, NY
91. Oklahoma Christian University
Oklahoma City, OK
92. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK
93. Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL
94. Oral Roberts University
Tulsa, OK
95. Ozark Christian College
Joplin, MO
96. Pacific Rim Christian College
Honolulu, HI
420
97. Palm Beach Atlantic University
Palm Beach, Florida
98. Pepperdine University (Bible Lectures)
Malibu, California
99. Phoenix Seminary
Phoenix, AZ
100. Prairie College Of The Bible
Alberta, Canada
101. Providence College And Seminary
Otterburne, Manitoba, Canada
102. Reformed Theological Seminary
Several locations in U.S.
103. Regent College
Vancouver, BC
104. Rockbridge Seminary
Springfield, MO 65804
105. Rocky Mountain College
106. Rock Bridge Seminary
107. Rolling Hills Bible Institute
Rolling Hills Estates, CA
108. Samford University
Birmingham, AL
109. Shorter College
Rome, Georgia
110. Simpson University
Redding, CA
111. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wake Forest, NC
112. Southeastern University
Lakeland, Fl
421
113. Southwest Baptist University
Bolivar, Missouri
114. Spring Arbor University
115. Talbot Seminary (Biola)
La Mirada, CA
116. Taylor Seminary/Taylor College
Edmonton, AB, CA
117. Taylor University
Upland, IN
118. Youth Conference
119. Toccoa Falls College
Toccoa Falls, GA
120. Trevecca Nazarene University
Nashville, TN
121. Spiritual Formation Program
122. Trinity Western University
Langley, B.C. Canada
123. Trinity International University
Deerfield, IL
124. Tyndale University College & Seminary
Toronto, CANADA
125. Vanguard University
126. Western Seminary
Portland, Sacramento, San Jose
127. Western Theological Seminary
Holland, MI
128. Westmont College
Santa Barbara, CA
129. Wheaton College Graduate School
130. Whitworth Univeristy
Spokane, WA
422
131. William Carey Institute
Vancouver, BC
423
Appendix C.1
Harry Potter
The following is from HarryPotterPower.com.
(http://harrypotterpower.com)
A journey into an evil world
The Harry Potter Books Are Witchcraft
As of January 2008, 180 million copies of the Harry Potter books
have been printed. You will find them in over 45 languages, in 135
countries. The worldwide gross dollars for the Harry Potter films is $3.8
billion. Over 1.5 million audio versions have been sold. Scholastic, the U.S.
publisher of the books, has netted $350 million in profits from their sale. The
author, J.K. Rowling, is now the richest woman in Britain(June 23, 2007)
and the first billionaire in history who obtained it by writing books.
The seven books are:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1999)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
424
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2005)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow (2007)
Five million copies of the Phoenix book were sold the first day, with
initial printings over 8.5 million copies. Movie receipts for opening day were
$44.8 million; 12 million copies of Deathly Hallow were initially printed. As
of January 14, 2008, the five Harry Potter films have become the biggest
franchise in history after taking $4.47 billion at the world box office. The
expected cost to build a Harry Potter theme park in Orlando is $265 million,
set to open in 2009.
A total of seven books were planned because Rowling says seven is a
magic number. (In this chapter, all reference paging to these books are to the
original books, not the lower-cost paperbacks.)
It is as if a magical spell has been cast over the world, and everyone must
buy and love those books and everything associated with them. All types of
children’s toys, figures, trading cards, roll-playing games (similar to Dungeons
& Dragons), costume clothes, computer games, book bags, posters, clocks,
shirts, eye glasses, towels, blankets, playing cards, pens, lunch boxes, and
candies are being marketed. Warner Bros. is producing a full-length motion
picture to match each of the seven Potter books.
“The Harry Potter phenomenon is unprecedented in children’s
literature.”—Diane Roback, children’s book editor, Publisher’s Weekly, quoted
in USA Today, December 2, 1999.
“It’s mind-boggling. It would be easy to attribute Harry Potter’s success
to some form of magical intervention.”—Jean Feiwel, Scholastic representative,
quoted in Los Angels Times, October 22, 1999.
425
APPENDIX C.1 – HARRY POTTER
Complete sets of study books and classroom study guides have been
prepared, “to improve the curriculum” in public schools; so schoolteachers can
lead their students through “the origins and mysteries of Harry’s world,”
including its occult rituals. (See “Harry Potter Can Help Parents and Teachers
Educate Kids, Children’s Book Expert Says,” PR Newswire, August 17,
2000.)
Beacham Publications has released the teacher’s sourcebook, Exploring
Harry Potter, with all kinds of teacher’s aids which include “witches, druids,
goddess worshipers, and other pagans in America today.”
A recent Gallup poll found that almost one-third of all parents with kids under
eighteen have children who have read a Harry Potter book (Breakpoint, July
14, 2000).
Are children being confused into thinking that these magical powers and
people are real? Yes, they are. Rowling, herself, said this: “I get letters from
children addressed to Professor Dumbledore, and it’s not a joke, begging to be
let into Hogworts, and some of them are really sad. Because they want it to be
true so badly they’ve convinced themselves it’s true.”—Rowling, Newsweek,
July 1, 2000.
J.K. Rowling claims that the idea for the Harry Potter books suddenly
came to her one day in 1990 while riding on a train. So she just started
writing, and everything came to mind as she wrote. At least, that is what she
says.
“The character of Harry just strolled into my head . . I really did feel he
was someone who walked up and introduced himself to my mind’s eye.”—
Rowling, quoted in Reuters, July 17, 2000.
426
Believing her, readers think that, while she never had any prior
knowledge of witchcraft, everything in the books just popped into her
imagination. But, as we will discover, the reality is far different.
Whether or not Rowling is a practicing witch, she has, for years, studied
deeply into the blackest of witchcraft training manuals. And she is pouring it all
into her seven books. The Harry Potter books teach every lurid aspect of
witchcraft!
Joanne Kathleen Rowling grew up in Scotland. What she doesn’t tell you
is that, since childhood, she has tried to learn everything she can about
witchcraft.
According to Ian Potter (a childhood friend, whose last name she used in
her book titles), Rowling used to dress up as a witch all the time. Ian’s younger
sister, Vikki, also remembers those days when they were growing up together.
“Our favorite thing was to dress up as witches. We used to dress up and
play witch all the time. My brother would dress up as a wizard. Joanne was
always reading witchcraft stories to us . . We would make secret potions for
her. She would always send us off to get twigs for the potions.”—Ian Potter
and Vikki Potter, quoted in Danielle Demetriou, “Harry Potter and the Source
of Inspiration,” Electronic Telegraph, July 1, 2000.
Trying to hide her years of witchcraft involvement, Rowling falsely claims
that she knows little about witchcraft and really has no interest in it.
“I truly am bemused that anyone who has read the books could think that
I am a proponent of the occult in any serious way. I don’t believe in witchcraft,
in the sense that they’re talking about, at all . . I don’t believe in magic in the
427
way I describe it in my books.”—“Success Stuns Harry Potter Author,”
Associated Press, July 6, 2000.
But, during a 1999 interview, Rowling admitted that, in the process of
writing the books, she had studied mythology, witchcraft, and the exact words
used in witches’ spells.
“I do a certain amount of research, and folklore is quite important in
books. So where I’m mentioning a creature or a spell that people used to
believe genuinely would work—of course, it didn’t . . then, I will find out
exactly what the words were, and I will find out exactly what the characteristics
of that creature or ghost were supposed to be . . [Much of sorcery material in
the books] are things that people genuinely used to believe in Britain.”—J.K.R.
interview on National Public Radio, October 20, 1999.
The truth is that she earlier graduated from a course in mythological
studies at Exeter University in England, and during her entire adult life has
been a thorough researcher into the subject.
“[She has] an extremely well-developed and sophisticated knowledge of
the occult world, its legends, history and nuances.”—Richard Abanes, Harry
Potter and the Bible, p. 24.
In an interview on a radio program, she admitted that fully one-third of
her material is based on actual occultism (Rowling interview on The Diane
Rehm Show, WAMU, October 20, 1999). That is also probably an
understatement.
Rowling plays down the fact that witches still use the spells she is now
teaching! When we dabble with satanism, demons begin affecting our minds.
428
During one call-in interview, a wizard excitedly asked Rowling if she was
a member of “The Craft” (Wicca, the organization witches belong to). When
she answered no, he was shocked and replied, “Well, you’ve done your
homework quite well!” He went on to say that he loved the Potter books
because they were full of the same occult formulas he regularly used. (“Wicca”
is the name given to the official religion of Witchcraft, founded in the twentieth
century by Gerald Gardner, who died in 1964. Its members refer to it as
“The Craft.”)
The secular media has gone wild over Harry Potter. It is as if a single,
ominous spirit is controlling their thinking on this matter. Ominously enough, a
majority of the Christian media is also very much in favor of this outstanding
opportunity for little children to learn how to delve into the deep things of
witchcraft. Even the leading Protestant journal, Christianity Today, has praised
the books.
In an article for the Roman Catholic journal, First Things, Alan Jacobs of
Wheaton College described the novels as “a great deal of fun,” their magic as
“charming.” He added, “There is in books like this the possibility for serious
moral reflection” (First Things, January 2000).
Chuck Colson, the man who says he has been “born again,” said on
his Breakpoint broadcast that fantasy tales are harmless and Rowling’s book
characters demonstrate “courage, loyalty, and a willingness to sacrifice for one
another; not bad lessons in a self-centered world” (Chuck Colson, Breakpoint,
November 2, 1999).
America’s leading Christian magazine added this comment:
“Rowling’s series is a Book of Virtues with a preadolescent funny bone. Amid
the laugh-out-loud scenes are wonderful examples of compassion, loyalty,
courage, friendship, and even self-sacrifice. No wonder young readers want to
429
be like these believable characters. That is a Christmas present we can be
grateful for.”—Christianity Today, “Why We Like Harry Potter,” January 10,
2000.
But not everyone is fooled.
“There is a general nastiness underneath the mantle of cuteness. The kids
lie, they steal, they take revenge. This is a disturbing moral world, and it
conflicts with what I am trying to teach my children.”—Ken McCormick,
quoted in Baptist Press, July 13, 2000.
That is putting it mildly! As we will see below, the Harry Potter books are
actually a chamber of horrors.
By 1999, more efforts were made to ban the Potter books from U.S.
public schools than any other book or set of books. By the next year, over
400 lawsuits had been filed to stop the use of those books in our public
schools.
Rowling laughs at the complaints, declaring: “I am not trying to influence
anyone into black magic. That’s the very last thing I’d want to do . . My
wizarding world is a world of the imagination. I think it’s a moral world.”—
Rowling, quoted in USA Weekend Online, November 14, 1999.
Rowling says that it really does not matter what books children look at.
Let them read anything they want is her position. “When I was quite young,
my parents never said books were off limits . . As a child, I read a lot of adult
books. I don’t think you should censor kids’ reading material. It’s important just
to let them go do what they need to do.”—NPR interview, October 20,
1999.
430
It is of interest that 43 percent of the Potter books are sold to readers
older than fourteen and 29 percent are sold to people over thirty-five.
What do the Harry Potter books teach?
People who are not involved in witchcraft are considered to be inferior,
less intelligent, and slow to catch on to truth. They are “muggles”; but, as
Rowling said in an interview, they are “not completely stupid” (Associated
Press, July 6, 2000).
Throughout the Potter Series, there is a definite contrast made between
friendly, exciting and intelligent wizards who are fun and cool, who have access
to supernatural power—like Dumbledore, Harry, and his friends—and stuffy,
boring, unintelligent “members of the non-magical community” who live in the
“dark muggle world.”
As one Christian wrote: “The ordinary person is typified as being bad
because they have no [magic] powers, and heroes are the people who are
using the occult. This is an inversion of morality.”—Robert Frisken of Christian
Community Schools in Australia, quoted in Sydney Morning Herald, March
27, 2001.
People who do right are portrayed as a nuisance. Only one person seems
to have any moral qualities, Hermione, a girl student. But each time she pleads
with Harry to obey the rules, he always ridicules and speaks mean to her. As
part of the narrative, Rowling adds that Hermione is a “bossy know-it-all” and
“bad-tempered.”
Parents are something to be avoided, not obeyed, and escaped from. The
family caring for Harry in the summers occupies themselves with keeping him
locked up in a room (Chamber of Secrets, pp. 21–22).
431
In Harry’s world, this is what parents are like: “Laughing like a maniac,
he dragged Harry back upstairs . . The following morning, he paid a man to fit
bars on Harry’s window . . They let Harry out to use the bathroom morning
and evening. Otherwise he was locked in his room around the clock.”—
Chamber of Secrets, pp. 21–22.
Fortunately, two boys help Harry run away from home, where he is
rewarded with a nice home to stay in. Judith Krug, of the Chicago-based
American Library Association, praises the message: “The story line is excellent
. . There’s no one always telling him [Harry] what to do, and what young
person hasn’t said, ‘Oh, if they’d only leave me alone.’ Or ‘I wish that I didn’t
have parents!’ They don’t mean this in a mean way. It’s just that parents get
in the way.”—Judith Krug, quoted in Harry Potter Books: Craze &
Controversy.
Bad conduct is rewarded. Harry and his friends are repeatedly praised
and rewarded by teachers or other students when they do bad things. Harry is
constantly breaking rules and doing bad things, without receiving any
punishment. Instead his actions are said to be clever, exciting, and the way to
have more adventure. As Starhawk, founder of Covenant of the Goddess,
explains it: “In witchcraft, we do not fight self-interest, we follow it”
(Starhawk, the Spiral Dance, p. 76).
In the Potter books, rules are made to be broken and lying is an effective
way to achieve a desired end. Students and adults lie constantly to one
another, then laugh about it afterward. Harry’s best friend, Hagrid, continually
gets drunk as a way to make his life happier (five times in Book 3 alone). He
never suffers for doing so.
“I think they’re very moral books.”—Rowling, BBC interview, October
17, 1999.
432
“Each book takes a theme . . with the idea of making choices in your life,
and builds on them to give the child a sense of what it is to be a good human
being.”—Linda Goettina, psychoanalyst, interview, Nightline, ABC, July 7,
2000.
Swear words are used in these supposedly “sweet little books for
children.” In Chamber of Secrets, boys swear (253, 259). In Prisoner of
Azkaban, specific words are included in swearing: “damn” (23); “bitch,”
referring to Harry’s mother (25); and “B__” for “bastard” (310). God’s
name is used as a swear word (113). Book 4 (Goblet of Fire) has more:
“Damn” (43, 62, 127, 232, 344, 561, 470) and “Hell” (626), and
more. Every book in the series increases in the number of swear words.
Acts of hatred and revenge repeatedly occur. Power and force are the
goals to be sought, not truth and honesty. The child grows accustomed to
finding excitement in meanness, selfishness, and scenes of horror. The books
are vicious and cruel.
Harry discovers a list of “curses and countercurses” to use to “bewitch
your friends and befuddle your enemies with the latest revenges” (Sorcerer’s
Stone, p. 80).
Scenes are presented to the susceptible mind of the child which are more
horrible than the most terrible nightmare. The attention is so riveted by these
shocking things, that the mind is more susceptible to ideas and practices which
are extremely evil. Here is just one example: “Out of the shadows, a hooded
figure came crawling across the ground like some stalking beast . . The cloaked
figure reached the unicorn, lowered its head over the wound in the animal’s
side, and began to drink its blood.”—Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 256.
433
Believe me: I could give you quotation after quotation that is far more
horrible than this!
Spirits take control of people. Voldemort has no body, so he takes
control of the body of Professor Quirrell. This is what your child reads: “Where
there should have been a back to Quirrell’s head, there was a face, the most
terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring eyes and slits
for nostrils, like a snake . . ‘See what I have become?’ the face said. ‘Mere
shadow and vapor . . Once I have the elixir of Life, I will be able to create a
body of my own.’ ”—Sorcerer’s Stone, pp. 293–294.
Murders occur repeatedly. The face then tells Harry that he killed Harry’s
father and mother. Then the face commands Quirrell to kill Harry. “KILL HIM!
KILL HIM” (ibid.; full caps hers)! A “death spell” is then cast on Harry.
Actual murders of people and animals occur over and over again.
In Goblet of Fire alone, muggles are “tortured” (589), and their killings are
“done for fun” (143). Three wizards are killed (531, 589), and a man and
his wife are tortured to the point of insanity (595, 603). Cedric is murdered
in front of Harry (638). A child, after killing his father, turns the body into a
bone and buries it (690). Each book gets worse than the one before it.
“Parents expecting a respite from the violence in popular culture will be
surprised by the amount of violence that Rowling introduces into her tales. I
cannot think of any classic children’s story that has as much of it!”—Lee
Siegel, Reviewer, The New Republic, November 4, 1999.
Life after death and reincarnation is taught. Death is something to be
desired, as the entrance to a new, more fascinating afterlife.
434
“After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great
adventure.”—Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 297.
Communication with the dead is a very real part of these books. Harry
finds the mirror of Erised (“desire” spelled backward; witches like to play with
mysterious backward spelling), which shows him movie-like images of his dead
parents smiling and waving back at him.
At the end of Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter fights a dual with Lord
Voldemort, a frightful being with a “snake-like face” and “red eyes glinting
through the darkness.” Accompanied by a swarm of gruesome “Death Eaters,”
Voldemort advances for the kill. But then Harry magically causes his dead
parents to appear, who provide help.
Of course, all witchcraft is involved with supposed communication with
dead spirits. Yet the Bible clearly warns that all who do so will ultimately be
destroyed.
The reader becomes accustomed to gruesome creatures and disembodied
spirits. A room-sized, three-headed “hellhound” lives under a trapdoor
beneath the students’ dormitory. “Nearly headless Nick” lives at the school,
whose head falls almost all the way off whenever someone pulls on his
ear (Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 124). “Moaning Myrtle,” a previously murdered
student who, on various pages, repeatedly cries out in the night while the
students make fun of the noise. Headless horsemen play hockey with the head
of one of the ghosts who lives there(Chamber of Secrets, pp. 136–137).
Everything horrible and detestable to normal people is made to appear inviting,
fun, and worth copying.
435
Practically every symbol and object used by actual witches is found in
these books. This includes spells, spell books, curse and bewitchment formulas,
magic words, exorcism, wands, robes, cauldrons, flying brooms, and all the rest.
All the weird and vicious animals, and mythical creatures of ancient
centuries (such as elves, goats, banshees, owls, and dragons), are added to
present a picture of extreme witchery.
Here is one example, which Rowling takes directly from witchcraft books:
The “hand of glory” in occult teaching is the “right hand of a murderer
severed after death.” In Chamber of Secrets (Book 2), Harry finds a hand of
glory, “a withered hand on a cushion,” for sale in a wizard shopping store.
Draco wants his father to buy it for him. The shopkeeper explains how it can
help its owner steal things: “Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son
has fine taste, Sir!” (Chamber of Secrets, pp. 51–52).
Famous spiritualists and gods of earlier centuries are mentioned as names
of characters in the books. This helps the child become acquainted with leading
pagans and gods, so he will later feel at home with professional witchcraft
writings. Here are a few of the prominent ones mentioned as students,
teachers, etc. in these books: Adalbert (who, in A.D. 745, was condemned to
prison for sorcery). Helena Blavatsky (the most famous spiritualist woman
writer of the twentieth century).
Important pagan deities include Minerva (a Roman goddess), Argus (giant
in Greek myth), Cerce (a witch in Homer’s Illiad), Merlin (King Arthur’s
wizard), Morrighan (an ancient Celtic goddess of death), Cliodna (pagan
goddess of Ireland and a banshee), Draco (Greek serpent god), and Sibyll
(Greek divination goddess).
Many more could be mentioned.
436
There was no need for Rowling to go to such lengths to so heavily
saturate the books with spiritistic lore. The only reason I can think of as to why
she would do this is because she has made a contract with the devil to bring
more into his ranks. Rowling has done her part and Satan is doing his part,—
and an avalanche of book sales have made her the richest author in the world.
Magical ability is portrayed as a special empowerment which we should
seek after. This leads the reader to begin craving this witching ability. The
books clearly reveal that the only place where anyone can obtain such power
is by personally delving into witchcraft.
As mentioned earlier, hundreds of children have written letters to the
publishing house, asking the location of Hogworts School, so they can run
away from home and attend it. They want to become witches and wizards!
“It is important to remember that we all have magic inside us.”—Rowling,
in a prepared video released by Scholastic.
That echoes the words of the spiritualists: “The powers of witchcraft,
magic, shamanism, or whatever one likes to call it, are latent in everyone.”—
Doreen Valiente, The Rebirth of Witchcraft, p. 92.
Even the “funny stories” are extremely horrible. The secular and Christian
presses speak glowingly about how delightful and funny the Harry Potter books
are. Here are two examples, from among so many, with this grotesque humor:
The boys laugh with delight upon learning that it is witchcraft teaching that
mandrake roots are shriveled up live babies. Killing them is a running joke
throughout Book 2. The children at the school wear earmuffs when pulling
them out of the ground, because the screams are so loud “before cutting them
up and stewing them” (Chamber of Secrets, p. 264).
437
“A small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The
leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale, green, mottled skin,
and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs . . They squirmed, kicked, flailed
their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Harry spent ten whole minutes
trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot.”—Chamber of Secrets, pp.
92–94.
Here is another example of Rowling’s “funny stories.” Can you imagine
children reading this? Moaning Myrtle is the spirit of a dead girl, earlier
murdered at the school, who wants to commit suicide and can’t:
“ ‘My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along
ruining my death . . I came in here [to the girl’s bathroom] and tried to kill
myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I’m—I’m—’ ‘Already dead,’ said
Ron helpfully. Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over, and
dived into the toilet . . Hermione shrugged wearily and said, ‘Honestly, that
was almost cheerful for Myrtle.’ ”—Chamber of Secrets, p. 156.
“Lighten up, the magic is so tongue-in-cheek,” says Pastor Rachel Berry
Kraps of a Methodist church in California. “It’s just wonderful fun!” Her
husband, Pastor John Kraps agrees: “We love Harry Potter, and our whole
family is outraged by the opposition by the Christian right” (quoted in San
Jose Mercury News, November 13, 1999).
Fortune-telling, crystal-ball gazing, and hypnotic activity are emphasized
as marvelous new ways to achieve higher knowledge and state of being.
“‘Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art,’ she [Sibyll, the divination
teacher] tells them. ‘We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind
and external eyes . . so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious.’ ”—
Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 297.
438
That is exactly what “scryers” (crystal-ball gazers) do to enter a trance!
Many children reading this will start practicing it. The Encyclopedia of
Occultism and Parapsychology says crystal gazing is a form of self-induced
hypnosis, to free one’s telepathic powers (Vol. 1, p. 285).
In the Potter books, Sibyll (the name comes from an ancient prophetic
goddess) also teaches Harry and his friends magical potions from herbs, astral
projection (out-of-body visitation), palmistry, arithmancy, numerology, charms
(incantations used to endow amulets or talismen with magical powers), and
runes (magic markings).
In Goblet of Fire, Harry becomes a full-blown clairvoyant (able to predict
the future). This, of course, encourages the reader to want to do it also.
Each additional book in the series intensifies the amount of mischief and
horror (Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire were the worst, till the later
ones came along). On one hand, the reader becomes so blunted to bloodshed,
that it keeps requiring more to maintain his interest. On the other, Rowling is
leading them toward a predetermined, sinister objective: to give the children
the fullest, possible education in witchcraft.
“I can tell you that the books are getting darker. Harry’s going to have
quite a bit to deal with as he gets older.”—Rowling, Online interview,
September 25, 1999.
“Each new book seems a bit darker and more morbidly tragic than the
one preceding.”—Steve Bonta, The New American, August 28, 2000.
“Death and bereavement and what death means, I would say, are one of
the central themes in all seven books.”—Rowling, in ibid.
439
Harry Potter started school when he was eleven; he will be seventeen
when he starts the last year. Rowling warns us that, in addition to all his other
acts of rebellion against law and order, soon he will start doing things with
girls.
“Harry’s going to have quite a bit to deal with as he gets older . . ‘Harry
and his friends will be discovering their hormones as they grow older.’ ”—
Rowling, Online interview, September 25, 1999.
She hints at what is coming in Book 4. Harry sees a number of sensual,
erotic ghost/women, “the most beautiful women Harry had ever seen” (Goblet
of Fire, 103).
Witchcraft is shown to be very good and something to be desired. The
Potter books are jam-packed with mysterious information about witches,
warlocks, sorcerers, crystal balls, spells, curses, potions, charms, numerology,
divination, astrology, palmistry, out-of-body travel, and communication with
spirits. All these are part of ancient and modern occultism. This is witchcraft!
The real thing! Later in this book we will discover that witchcraft involves
contact with the devil and his fallen angels. Those who enter this evil realm are
captured by demons. And they are only able to escape by the power of God.
One man who spoke with Rowling during a radio call-in said he was a
male witch and the Harry Potter books had helped his daughter like what he
was doing (WMUR interview, October 12, 1999). The occult practices found
in the Potter books are regularly performed by members of satanic arts.
“Harry Potter gives children an appetite for the occult.”—Robert Night of
the Family Research Council, quoted in Tulsa World, June 20, 2000.
440
These books instruct the reader in the actual practices of witchcraft.
These books do more than merely talk about witches, they explain in detail
their training program and how they carry on their magic.
Information from the actual instructional books for witches in training are here,
providing entry-level instruction.
The Ordo Anno Mundi (OAM) Series are books for professional witches.
They contain instruction only slightly in more detail than the Rowling books.
The OAM Series contains complete witchcraft instructions—yet is little
different than the Potter books!
Here is a comparison between the professional witchcraft training series
and the Harry Potter books:
OAM has seven degrees of “Magical Training,” and includes classes strikingly
similar to those offered at Hogworts, Harry Potter’s school.
OAM General Education primer: “Ancient Runes.” Here is an example from
the Harry Potter books: “Those are my books for . . Divination, the Study of
Ancient Runes” (Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 57, original edition).
OAM First Degree: “Divination.” An example in Harry Potter: “We will be
covering the basic methods of Divination this year” (Prisoner of Azkaban, p.
103).
OAM First Degree: “Spellcasting.” An example in Potter: “All students should
have a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1” (Sorcerer’s Stone, p.
66).
OAM Fourth Degree: “Animal Transformation (witches also call it
“transfiguration”).” An example from the Potter books: “Transfiguration is
some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogworts”
(Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 134). “My transformations in those days were—were
terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf . . [My friends] could each turn
into a different animal” (Prisoner of Azkaban, pp. 353–354).
441
OAM Fifth Degree: “Magical Lore.” An example from Potter: “Their very last
exam was History of Magic” (Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 263).
Such books should be read neither by children nor by adults. They are
evil and a menace to the eternal welfare of the soul.
Witchcraft organizations are being besieged with phone calls and letters
from young people who want to learn how to be witches and wizards. The
pagan federation, which promotes Wicca (another name for modern
witchcraft) in England, has had to appoint a special youth officer to reply to
“the flood of inquiries following the success of the Harry Potter books” (Andy
Norfolk, quoted in “Potter Fans Turning to Witchcraft,” This is London
[magazine], August 4, 2000).
“In response to increased inquiries coming from youngsters we
established a youth officer . . It is quite probably linked to things like Harry
Potter, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Every time
an article on witchcraft or paganism appears, we have a huge surge in calls,
mostly from young girls.”—Ibid.
Here are two of the responses sent in by children who had read some of
the books: “Thought the story really made you feel like you could be a witch
or a wizard” (Lily, 11 years old). “I like what they learned there [at Hogworts]
and I want to be a witch” (Gloria Bishop, 10 years old).
Richard Abanes, author of Harry Potter and the Bible, warns: “Ultimately,
only a short distance needs to be covered in order to cross over from Harry’s
world into the realm of real occultism.”—Ibid., p. 173.
Linda Beam with Focus on the Family sounds the warning:“Any time the dark
side of the supernatural world is presented as harmless, there is the danger
442
that children will become curious and find out—too late—that witchcraft is
neither harmless nor imaginary.”—Linda Beam, Teachers in Focus, December
1999.
443
Appendix C.2
Twilight
On June 2, 2003, Stephenie Meyer experienced a dream which would soon
impact the entire world. Today Stephenie Meyer is the renowned author of the
Twilight series, despite the fact that in 2003 she could hardly even qualify as
an “author.” She had written only a few chapters of other stories which were
never fully developed. In fact, since the birth of her son six years earlier, she
had not written anything.857 Nevertheless, according to Stephenie Meyer:
I woke up (on that June 2nd) from a very vivid dream. In my dream, two
people were having an intense conversation in a meadow in the woods.
One of these people was just your average girl. The other person was
fantastically beautiful, sparkly, and a vampire. They were discussing the
difficulties inherent in the facts that A) they were falling in love with each
other while B) the vampire was particularly attracted to the scent of her
blood, and was having a difficult time restraining himself from killing her
immediately.858
857
858
Official Website of Stephenie Meyer, “The Story Behind Twilight.”
Ibid.
444
Feeling compelled to create a permanent record of this dream, Stephenie
Meyer began to write what would become the novel Twilight. Stephenie later
recalled, “All this time, Bella and Edward were, quite literally, voices in my
head. They simply wouldn’t shut up. I’d stay up as late as I could stand trying
to get all the stuff in my mind typed out, and then crawl, exhausted, into bed ...
Eventually, I got a pen and notebook for beside my bed to jot notes down so I
could get some freakin’ sleep.”859
Despite being an unpublished author, Stephenie Meyer received a $750,000
publishing deal for her first three Twilight books.860 This impressive deal
almost immediately triggered an explosive phenomenon. Within weeks of its
release, Twilight reached number five on the New York Times bestseller list.861
“Among its many accolades, Twilight was named an ‘ALA Top Ten Books for
Young Adults,’ an amazon.com ‘Best Book of the Decade...So Far,’ and a
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. The highly-anticipated sequel, New
Moon, was released in September 2006, and spent more than 25 weeks at
the #1 position on the New York Times bestseller list.”862 After the release of
Eclipse, the first three Twilight books spent 143 weeks on the New York
Times bestseller list.863 In 2008 and 2009, the four books of the series
claimed the top four spots on the USA Today’s year-end bestseller list.864
Stephenie Meyer was the first author to achieve this feat.865 The series also
won the 2009 Kid’s Choice Award for favorite book where it competed
against the Harry Potter series.866
859
Ibid.
Valby, “Stephenie Meyer.”
861 Official Website of Stephenie Meyer, “Bio.”
862 Ibid.
863 Grossman, “Is a Mormon,” 49.
864 Debarros, “Best Selling Books.”
865 Minzesheimer, “Sellers basked in Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ in 2008.”
866 Nickelodeon. “All Winners.”
860
445
APPENDIX C.2 - TWILIGHT
The Twilight series was made into five movies. When the first movie was
released on November 21, 2008, it ranked number one at the box office
earning $70 million dollars on its opening weekend, making it the highest
grossing opening weekend for a female director.867
According to Statistic Brain, the Twilight series is estimated to have earned
$5,736,100,000 through its books, DVDs, and merchandising sales as of
November, 2013.868 Search Engine Journal has even reported that Twilight
boasts 42,398,571 Facebook fans and 641,616 followers on Twitter.869
The phenomenon of Twilight was not restricted to secular audiences. The
series captivated Christians and unbelievers alike. In fact, Twilight was
promoted by many Christians as being a positive influence for teenagers
because it supports chastity. In an article for EvangelicalOutpost.com, David
Nilson writes, “Edward Cullen is one of only a few role models who takes
sexual purity seriously, and who actually embodies it in an attractive
manner.”870
It should be noted that Edward was not sexually pure because he valued
marriage. Initially, Edward was afraid that he, being a vampire, would be unable
to resist his desire to kill Bella and drink her blood. Also, Edward feared that
he would hurt, or even kill Bella if they were to have intercourse because of his
supernatural strength. Marcia Montenegro observes:
Much has been made of the alleged message of Twilight, that it is one of
abstinence and shows control over desire. In truth, Edward is controlling
himself because he does not want to kill Bella; her life is truly in danger
867
Official Website of Stephenie Meyer, “Bio.”
Statistic Brain, “Total Twilight Franchise Sales.”
869 Fach, “#Twilight Saga.”
870 David Nilson, “The Power of Twilight,” The Evangelical Outpost, July 1, 2009, Source:
Swanson, “The Bruises of Bella Swan.”
868
446
from a ferocious vampire attack from the one who loves her. Aside from
that, a vibrant sensuality of attraction lies just beneath the surface. A
TIME reporter who interviewed Meyer wrote, “It’s never quite clear
whether Edward wants to sleep with Bella or rip her throat out or both,
but he wants something, and he wants it bad, and you feel it all the more
because he never gets it. That’s the power of the Twilight books: they’re
squeaky, geeky clean on the surface, but right below it, they are
absolutely, deliciously filthy.”871
Is this clean on the surface but deliciously filthy underneath courtship truly the
kind of relationship that Christians hope to imitate? In every way, Twilight is
not a particularly strong endorsement for sexually pure relationships.
Furthermore, despite Edward and Bella’s pre-marital abstinence in the Twilight
series, it is difficult to claim that they were truly chaste. In an article titled “The
Darkness of Twilight: A Christian Perspective,” Sue Bohlin writes, “[T]he
Twilight books are a lust-filled series, so embedded with writing intended to
arouse the emotions, that it is legitimately considered emotional
pornography.”872 At the very least, Twilight is erotic. It stimulates the
imagination and sexual emotions through descriptive accounts. An influential
blogger on Spes Unica reveals the foolishness of this pro-chastity argument in
a post titled “What is ‘TWILIGHT’ saying to young women?”:
To claim that the Twilight saga is based on the virtue of chastity is like
calling the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition pro-chastity because the
girls are clothed. What the promoters are dwelling on is the fact that the
couple don’t “go all the way” until after their wedding in the fourth book.
While this is no doubt a good thing, promoters of the series do not give
enough information for parents to make a genuine assessment of the
871
872
447
Grossman, “Is a Mormon,” 50.
Bohlin, “The Darkness of Twilight.”
material. First of all – the couple abstain from intercourse because
Edward the vampire has super-human strength which could supposedly
kill a human woman. This aspect of the story itself has an unseemly edge
to it. Why do romance novels have photos of shirtless men with rippling
muscles on the covers? The depiction of strength is meant to draw
women in. But Edward is SO strong... well, it is a depiction of strength
that is attracting women, and it is specifically erotic in tone. Grown
women are wearing t-shirts that say “Edward broke my headboard” – a
direct reference to the couple’s wedding night. Such phenomena give a
sense of the misappropriation of the word “chastity” when speaking of
this series. The abstinence practiced in the novels is based on fear, not on
virtue – Edward’s fear, to be precise. Bella wants to risk it. So, it is not
an exercise in valuing another person so much that you refuse to treat
them as an object of use. Let’s be clear that abstinence is not chastity.
Just because intercourse does not take place does not mean a couple is
basing their relationship on use. Bella gives detailed first person accounts
of her “make out” encounters with Edward – everything from trying to
unbutton clothing, to how loud her breathing is and how this or that
feels... these detailed first person descriptions are designed to arouse
young girls – like a gateway drug to full blown romance novels or
vampire lore. How can books in which the author has written detailed
first person descriptions of actions leading to arousal help readers to be
chaste? The words on the page defy chastity. Anyone who claims that
the books promote chastity has to explain how a young girl can read
detailed first-person descriptions of “making out” as a tool to preserving
her innocence. They also must deny the experience of the star of the
movie who claims otherwise. There are pages and pages of text that will
show why girls are being corrupted (or, perhaps, being led further down
a path of corruption). “Making out” before marriage is not chaste.
Common, yes. But an example of the Christian virtue of chastity? No. It
is a mutual use – intemperate, unjust and uncharitable. Books which
448
describe this in detailed accounts are not chaste and cannot be used to
promote chastity. The fact that the books are not as graphic as other
teen novels does not mean they are therefore innocent.873
Compare Biblical love in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7874 against the above
blogger’s observation that the love of Bella and Edward in Twilight is
“intemperate, unjust and uncharitable,” “Charity suffereth long, and is kind;
charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not
behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh
no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (KJV). Consider
also that Bella repeatedly seeks to become a vampire and rejoices in Edward’s
vampirism even after she is told that vampirism is evil. In other words, Bella
seeks after what she knows to be evil. Furthermore, instead of rejoicing in the
truth, she lies to everyone with whom she is closest in order to protect her
relationship with Edward and his family. Even the love between Bella and
Jacob—Bella’s close werewolf friend who has a crush on Bella—contradicts
true Biblical love. To say the least, Jacob is easily provoked and filled with
envy. He considers himself to be superior to the vampires, and therefore,
better for Bella. In both relationships, the love portrayed in Twilight is directly
opposed to Biblical love.
Even so, within Christian bookstores can be found such books as Elaine
Heath’s The Gospel According to Twilight: Women, Sex, and God, Diane
Schantin’s Parables from Twilight: A Bible Study, and Jane Wells’ Glitter in the
Sun: A Bible study searching for truth in the Twilight Saga. Some churches
have even hosted Twilight Bible studies.
873
“What is ‘TWILIGHT’ saying to young women?"
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (ESV): Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is
not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice
at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things.
874
449
These authors have recognized that there are intense spiritual themes woven
throughout the plot of the Twilight series. However, they have ignored the
author’s true intent and have contorted these themes to force them into
Biblical molds. Anything which is sufficiently allegorized can be made to
support Biblical themes and principles. The true question is whether those
themes were intended to be so allegorized, and whether it is more likely that
those themes were always meant to contradict and pervert Scripture.
The Twilight series does not promote the same principles as found in
Scripture. One of the overarching themes of the Twilight books is how
wonderful it is to taste of the forbidden fruit. Stephenie Meyer is a Mormon
who graduated from Brigham Young University.875 Mormons believe that it
was ultimately a good thing that Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the
Garden of Eden because it began the process of man discovering his own
divinity. This is why Brigham Young, the second most revered prophet within
Mormonism, said, “The devil told [Eve] the truth [about godhood]... I do not
blame Mother Eve. I would not have had her miss eating the forbidden fruit for
anything in the world.”876 Similarly, in Doctrines of Salvation, former president
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Joseph Smith writes, “The
fall of man came as a blessing in disguise... I never speak of the part Eve took
in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin... it is not always a sin to
transgress a law...We can hardly look upon anything resulting in such benefits
as a sin.”877 This doctrine undergirds the Twilight series.
The cover art of the book Twilight, depicts the pale hands and forearms of a
woman holding a bright red apple. This is overlaid against an entirely black
background. The imagery suggests that the apple holds the key to transforming
875
Official Website of Stephenie Meyer, “Bio.”
Brigham Young, from the Pulpit of the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City on June 8,
1873, Deseret News, June 18, 1873, Source: Schimmel, “Twilight, Harry Potter.”
877 Joseph Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, 113–115, Source: Schimmel, “Twilight,
Harry Potter.”
876
450
the woman’s bleak and ordinary world in much the same way as an illicit
relationship with a vampire transforms Bella’s bleak and ordinary world. If
there is any doubt that the apple on the cover represents the forbidden fruit of
Genesis, then one need only open the book to the page before the preface.
Isolated on this page is a single verse from Genesis 2:17 which reads, “But of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the
day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (KJV).
The overarching theme of the Twilight series directly challenges the theme of
God’s Word. Add to this that the kind of love that is portrayed and glorified in
the series contradicts true Biblical love, and the question must be asked, “Is it
truly appropriate for a Christian to associate himself with the Twilight
phenomenon?”
A Christian who is honestly evaluating the Twilight series must question
whether it is healthy to become emotionally attached to, and supportive of a
relationship that is directly opposed to God’s holiness, Biblical love, and the
fruit of the Holy Spirit. According to Galatians 5:16–17 and 22–23, this is
a relationship which is at war with God’s Holy Spirit, “But I say, walk by the
Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the
flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh,
for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you
want to do. … But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no
law.”
Edward and Bella’s relationship has been presented as the epitome of passion
and love. Is it healthy for a Christian to fantasize and long for a romantic
relationship which is, in its essence, at war with God’s Holy Spirit?
If this clear contradiction of God’s Word is not a sufficient reason to avoid
Twilight, consider how the themes in Twilight contradict Scripture’s warning
451
against awakening love before its time. The Song of Solomon provides us with
an example of how to have a God-honoring, passionate, and erotic
relationship. Three times, the warning is given not to awaken and arouse the
sexual passions of love before its proper time (Song 2:7;878 3:5;879 8:4880).
That time is after the marriage—an institution that Bella repeatedly disparages
in the Twilight series. At the end of chapter 3, Solomon marries his betrothed,
and their love is awakened. Chapter 4 is a picture of the marriage bed. In
verse 16, Solomon’s wife declares, “Awake, O north wind, and come, O south
wind! Blow upon my garden, let its spices flow. Let my beloved come to his
garden, and eat its choicest fruits.”
Twilight does not guard women’s sexual passions. Instead, it exploits and fuels
those passions. It creates a desire which, for many of its readers, cannot be
satisfied. Considering that the target audience for these books begins at the
age of nine, this is dangerous, and it is a brazen rejection of Scripture’s
warning.
Is it any wonder that Edward and Bella’s relationship which ignores the
cautionary guidelines of Scripture, which contradicts Biblical love, and which
produces fruit that belongs to the sinful nature of the flesh is a decidedly
dysfunctional relationship? Bella is emotionally dependent upon Edward. She
has a desperate need to feel continually connected with him. In fact, in the
book Eclipse, Bella’s mother observes, “I wish you could see how you move
around him. … The way you move—you orient yourself around him without
even thinking about it. When he moves, even a little bit, you adjust your
position at the same time. Like magnets…or gravity. You’re like a…satellite, or
878
Song of Solomon 2:7: I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does
of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
879 Song of Solomon 3:5: I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does
of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.
880 Song of Solomon 8:4: I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or
awaken love until it pleases.
452
something. I’ve never seen anything like it.”881 Such a relationship is
inexorably unhealthy. It destroys all other relationships because others are
viewed as a threat and as individuals to compete against for the attention of
the lover. It inevitably pushes away all others until there is none left but the
two lovers.
On a spiritual level, emotionally dependent relationships look to the lover to
satisfy one’s needs and to provide a sense of belonging and purpose. The
person’s identity and purpose become defined by the lover. As such, the
relationship is idolatrous. The human lover replaces Christ. Emotionally
dependent relationships have no room for anyone else besides the lover—
including Christ.
An inevitable consequence of such dysfunctional relationships is severe mood
swings. When things go well in the relationship, life could not be better.
However, the smallest relational hiccup becomes a monumental trial, and
serious problems often result in deep depression. This is portrayed in the
testimony of Bella in the book New Moon. Unfortunately, many of the Twilight
fans missed the significance of this account, choosing instead to view it as
intensely romantic. When Edward leaves Bella, she finds herself alone because
she had reduced her social sphere primarily to one person, having abandoned
family and friends alike in her pursuit of Edward. This may appear to be
romantic when the two are together, but it is revealed to be incredibly
dangerous and foolish when the relationship collapses. Bella is left with nobody
to turn to. Consequently, she is crushed. She loses all sense of purpose in life
and becomes suicidal. Is this a relationship worthy of imitation? Countless
women have idealized Bella and Edward’s relationship. In their longing for
romance, they have ignored the warning signs and have excused the
foolishness of this highly dysfunctional relationship. The question must be
881
453
Meyer, Eclipse, 67–68.
asked, “Is it healthy to idealize and fantasize about a dysfunctional
relationship?”
We are called to love the Lord our God first and foremost. Jesus says in Mark
12:30, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” Romantic
relationships should never supersede our love and devotion to God. We exist to
love God and to please and honor Him. However, this is not the result of an
emotionally dependent relationship. Why then are Christians promoting the
dysfunctional love story found in Twilight? Moreover, why are Christians using
this relationship as a model of our relationship with Christ?
Of course, someone will argue that Twilight is merely fantasy. As such, these
issues and concerns are supposedly rendered irrelevant. We do not expect
fantasy to match real life. It may be true that we know on an intellectual level
that the events which transpire in fantasy cannot be found in real life.
However, the reaction of the Twilight fan base reveals that Edward and Bella’s
relationship have altered many of the readers’ expectations in their own
relationships. For many, Edward has become the ideal boyfriend against which
all men are compared. Similarly, readers are seeking emotional experiences
which match those found in Twilight. As such, it is evident that the influence of
Twilight transcends the boundaries of fantasy. To excuse the unbiblical and
destructive principles found in Twilight because it is merely fantasy is to ignore
the reality of the fruit that it is bearing in real life.
Moreover, fantasy is not harmless. For many, the fantasy of Twilight has
created profound longings and desires. When these longings and desires are
not based upon Biblical principles, James warns us that they often produce
sinful actions. James 1:13–15 says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I
am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he
himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and
454
enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin,
and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” The Greek word for lust
used in James is “epithumia” which means “a longing (especially for what is
forbidden), lust (after), desire.” Anything, whether it is fiction or factual, which
produces in us a yearning for something unbiblical is wrong. It should be
avoided. It certainly should not be promoted.
As Christians, there should be little within the Twilight series to attract us. The
series is an affront to what we believe and cherish. Furthermore, it promotes
dangerous ideas by lauding a decidedly dysfunctional relationship. If truth be
told, Christians would do best to avoid the allure of Twilight.
455
Appendix C.3
Paranormal Gateways to Vampirism,
Wicca, and the Occult
People tend to emulate their role models. This has given rise to such fads as
spandex, sagging pants, twerking, and Tebowing. It has also spawned celebrity
advertisements and product placement in popular entertainment. Therefore, it
should not be surprising to learn that some people even seek to emulate the
paranormal qualities of their favorite fictional characters. What begins as fiction
often spills over into reality.
A 2000, BBC article titled “Buffy draws children to witchcraft,” reports that
paranormal entertainment such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the
Teenage Witch, and Harry Potter encourage an interest in witchcraft among
children. According to the report, “The Pagan Federation, which represents
druids and witches, says it has been ‘swamped’ with calls following teenage
programmes featuring good witches.”882 According to a This is London article
titled “Potter fans turning to witchcraft,” the Pagan Federation “deals with an
average of 100 inquiries a month from youngsters who want to become
882
“Buffy draws children to witchcraft.”
456
witches, and it claims it has occasionally been ‘swamped’ with calls.”883 “‘It is
quite probably linked to things like Harry Potter, Sabrina The Teenage Witch
and Buffy The Vampire Slayer,’ explains the Federation’s media officer, Andy
Norfolk. ‘Every time an article on witchcraft or paganism appears, we had a
huge surge in calls, mostly from young girls.’”884 Because of this, “The Pagan
Federation has appointed a youth officer to deal with a flood of inquiries
following the success of the Harry Potter books which describe magic and
wizardry.”885
Steve Wohlberg886 of White Horse Media and author of Exposing Harry Potter
and Witchcraft was asked the question, “Where do you see evidence that Harry
is causing an upswing in the popularity of Wicca/Witchcraft?” He answered:
The evidence is all around us. Here are just a few examples. During one
radio interview (Live from Seattle, KGNW, WA) with me as the guest a
caller named Melissa phoned the show and told host Thor Tolo and me
that her 14-year-old daughter read the first Harry Potter book and then
promptly went back to the bookstore to purchase books about Wicca. A
friend of mine has a daughter who works at a Barnes & Nobel bookstore
in Nashville, TN. She said that many young people purchase both Harry
Potter and Wicca books together. Another teenage friend told me that
she met a Wiccan in an internet chat room who confessed that it
883
“Potter fans turning to witchcraft,” This is London, August 4, 1999, Source: Kjos, “Book
Review.”
884
“Potter fans turning to witchcraft,” This is London, Aug. 4, 1999, Source: “Harry Potter
and Witchcraft.”
885 Kjos, “Book Review.”
886 Steve Wohlberg’s ministry is Seventh Day Adventist, which is a denomination that denies
some critical doctrines among the Evangelical, Baptist, and Reformed denominations. Included in these
doctrines is the doctrine of salvation. Seventh Day Adventists teach that a person is saved by grace, but
their salvation is kept—or maintained—by the Law. This is not to deny the salvation of all Seventh Day
Adventists, but in order to embrace the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, apart from works, one
cannot fully adhere to Seventh Day Adventist doctrine.
457
APPENDIX C.3- PARANORMAL GATEWAYS TO VAMPIRISM, WICCA, AND THE OCCULT
was Harry Potter that first created his interest in spells and magic. The
founder of a large internet witchcraft school has publicly stated in a press
release that Harry Potter teaches Wiccan philosophy and is aiding the
Wiccan cause – big time.887
Paranormal entertainment has proven to be a popular gateway into genuine
Occultism. Perhaps this is because it ignites the imagination and fuels curiosity.
Perhaps it is because the fictional accounts often rest upon a solid foundation
of historical witchcraft and Occultism. In fact, during a 1999 radio interview
on The Diane Rehm Show, J.K. Rowling “admitted that fully one third of her
material is based on actual occultism.”888 Richard Abanes, author of Harry
Potter and the Bible, notes that J.K. Rowling has “an extremely welldeveloped and sophisticated knowledge of the occult world, its legends, history,
and nuances.”889 According to HarryPotterPower.com:
Practically every symbol and object used by actual witches is found in
these books. This includes spells, spell books, curse and bewitchment
formulas, magic words, exorcism, wands, robes, cauldrons, flying brooms,
and all the rest. All the weird and vicious animals, and mythical creatures
of ancient centuries (such as elves, goats, banshees, owls, and dragons),
are added to present a picture of extreme witchery. … These books
instruct the reader in the actual practices of witchcraft. These books do
more than merely talk about witches, they explain in detail their training
program and how they carry on their magic.
Information from the actual instructional books for witches in training are
here, providing entry-level instruction.
887
Avoid Harry Potter, “Where do you see evidence that Harry.”
The Diane Rehm Show, WAMU, October 20, 1999, Source: Harry Potter Power, “The
Harry Potter Books are Witchcraft.”
889 Abanes, Harry Potter and the Bible, 24.
888
458
The Ordo Anno Mundi (OAM) Series are books for professional witches.
They contain instruction only slightly in more detail than the Rowling
books. The OAM Series contains complete witchcraft instructions—yet is
little different than the Potter books! Here is a comparison between the
professional witchcraft training series and the Harry Potter books:
OAM has seven degrees of “Magical Training,” and includes classes
strikingly similar to those offered at Hogworts, Harry Potter’s school.
OAM General Education primer: “Ancient Runes.” Here is an example
from the Harry Potter books: “Those are my books for . . Divination, the
Study of Ancient Runes” (Prisoner of Azkaban, p. 57, original edition).
OAM First Degree: “Divination.” An example in Harry Potter: “We will
be covering the basic methods of Divination this year” (Prisoner of
Azkaban, p. 103).
OAM First Degree: “Spellcasting.” An example in Potter: “All students
should have a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade
1” (Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 66).
OAM Fourth Degree: “Animal Transformation (witches also call it
“transfiguration”).” An example from the Potter books: “Transfiguration
is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at
Hogworts” (Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 134). “My transformations in those
days were—were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf . . [My
friends] could each turn into a different animal” (Prisoner of Azkaban, pp.
353–354).
OAM Fifth Degree: “Magical Lore.” An example from Potter: “Their very
last exam was History of Magic” (Sorcerer’s Stone, p. 263).890
Paranormal entertainment has proven to be an ideal primer into the world of
genuine Occultism. In his book Harry Potter and the Bible, Richard Abanes
890
459
Harry Potter Power. “The Harry Potter Books are Witchcraft.”
observes, “Ultimately, only a short distance needs to be covered in order to
cross over from Harry’s world into the realm of real occultism.”891
Of course, not every person who reads Harry Potter or watches Buffy the
Vampire Slayer will pursue the Occult. Just as not every person who drinks
alcohol becomes an alcoholic, so also not every person who is exposed to the
Occult will become engrossed in it. However, it is difficult to know in advance
how each individual will respond. Lindy Beam, a youth culture analyst, warns
us, “Any time the dark side of the supernatural world is presented as harmless,
there is the danger that children will become curious and find out—too late—
that witchcraft is neither harmless nor imaginary.”892
Perhaps a more extreme example of people emulating fictional paranormal
characters is the werewolf. Internet werewolf chat forums are filled with people
who either believe themselves to be werewolves, or who desire to become a
werewolf.893 Similarly, there are many who believe themselves to be vampires.
891
Abanes, Harry Potter and the Bible, 173.
Abanes, Harry Potter and the Bible, 1.
893 Examples:
892
- “‘PLEASE BITE ME, I WANNA BE A WEREWOLF!!!!’”
(Bryan, “Response.”)
- “I really want to turn in to a were wolf I been trying for five years if some one really knows
how please write back I need to know how I understand what I’m getting myself into so
any one plzzzzzzz”
(Destany, “Response.”)
- “Please help me. I want to know how to become a werewolf, even if it brings pain. I have a
friend that is a werewolf but doesn't want to help me out at the moment. I need real
answers. Thank you.”
(SilverShadow97, “I Am A Real Werewolf.”)
- “I want to be a werewolf just like you,it’s not a cursed but a gift,I dreamed of it since I was
a kid and the dreams just become stronger over the years,iknow I wasn’t born one but I’m
alone no family,no groups,no nothing but only friends who be around cause of how pitty I
460
Despite the fact that vampires do not exist as they are portrayed in
paranormal fiction, there is a burgeoning community of “real life vampires.” A
2009 ABC News article titled “Coming Out of the Coffin: Vampires Among
Us” reports, “Throughout the country and all over the world, a hidden
subculture of people believe they are real vampires. They claim to have an
‘energy leak,’ which makes them feel sick and lethargic. To offset this energy
imbalance, they say they need to feed on other people’s energy or blood.”894
National Geographic, 20/20, Fox News, NBC News, and The Washington
Post have also reported on “real life vampires.” In a 2011 Fox News report
titled “Night Neighbors,” Sean Hannity reports:
Now in this day and age it seems impossible that anyone can believe in
this nonsense, but in pop culture vampires are making a comeback in a
big way. The blockbuster movie, Twilight is setting box office records on
the big screen, while HBO’s True Blood is heating up the small screen …
But vampires aren’t just tinsel town moneymakers, there’s actually a
vampire subculture that exists in the United States right now and spreads
into almost every community in this country.895
Some of these vampires have mimicked the vampire of the silver screen. They
sport long hair, colored contact lenses, and gothic makeup and clothing. Some
have even had their teeth filed or wear custom-fit fangs.896 Others appear
normal in every sense of the word. Reporting on a growing number of vampire
clans in Australia, a 2009 Sunday Mail article records the words of a selfprofessed vampire, “We’re real, we’re alive, we live and work in cities, we hold
look,can you please make the dream real and let me become one of you,I seek for a pack,
a family.”
(IBelieve1, “I Am A Real Werewolf.”)
894 Martinez-Ramundo, “Coming Out of the Coffin.”
895 Hannity, “Night Neighbors.”
896 Herman, “Interview With a Vampyre’s Dentist.”
461
jobs, we’re your next-door neighbor, we have families – but we just have a
different understanding.”897 Likewise, self-professed vampire and author of
The Psychic Vampire Codex, Michelle Belanger told Fox News, “There are
people who identify as real vampires everywhere and in every walk of life.
They could be your next door neighbors. … It could be your doctor. It could be
your lawyer. It could be the nurse.”898 Still another self-professed vampire told
Fox News about the vampires that he knows, “I know business owners. I know
teachers. I know nurses. I know one doctor. I know two lawyers. I know an
anthropologist. I know two psychologists. I know someone who teaches
witchcraft for a living. … I know a couple people who design web pages for a
living, people who work in government buildings—the post office.”899
Real life vampires have become so prolific that there now exists vampire clubs
and even vampire organizations such as The Vampire Society and the Atlanta
Vampire Alliance. Of course, not every real life vampire is seeking to emulate
the vampire of paranormal fiction, but many are. A Vampire Research Society
blog warns:
Vampiroids identify with the imagery of the vampire and become totally
seduced by its mythology, having almost no regard for what is fact and
what is fantasy. The more extreme examples of vampiroidism, known as
ultra-vampiroids, have no problem with the fact that in reality vampires
are biocidal and destroy all life-forms. Hence, within the supra-individual
level of the psyche, they respond utterly to the vampire archetype.
Despite the very high percentage of relatively harmless poseurs in most
vampiroid clubs, there can nevertheless occasionally be found a small
number of extreme types. These can vary in levels of psychotic behaviour
897
Marie-Christine, “Fangs for the tickets.”
Hannity, “Night Neighbors.”
899 Hannity, “Night Neighbors.”
898
462
from proto-vampiroids, eg the UK’s David Austen, a self-confessed
Satanist and sexual deviant of many years, to ultra-vampiroids like
America’s Rod Ferrell, who committed two gruesome murders and is now
awaiting execution as the youngest person on death row. Both have
belonged to vampiroid clubs.”900
Not everyone who reads and watches paranormal entertainment will become a
real life vampire. However, when vampirism is portrayed as attractive and sexy,
it does influence people’s behavior. This is particularly true of teenagers. In a
2010 Washington Post article titled “How ‘Twilight,’ other dark fiction affect
teen brains,” Maria Nikolajeva, the first Director of the Cambridge/Homerton
Research and Training Center for Children’s Literature, explains, “Inside the
teenage brain, synapses are breaking and reforming, and the chemistry keeps
changing. Teenagers can’t make decisions in the same way adults can…” 901
Because of this constant restructuring of the brain’s nerves, teenagers tend to
become extremely engaged with what they read and see:
[The] [a]dolescent brain goes through a significant and rapid change;
everything that affects it leaves deep imprints. Very dark fiction creates
and amplifies a sense of insecurity, which is typical of adolescence; but it
can also be a liberation, when readers “share” their personal experience
with that of fictional characters. So yes, all readers’ brains are changed
after they have read a book, but teenage brains are especially perceptive
and therefore vulnerable.902
An example of the confusion that can arise as a result of glamourizing
vampirism can be found in a 2010 NBC News report, “Teenagers obsessed
with the ‘Twilight’ vampire saga, or those simply fascinated with fangs,
900
Vampirologist, “Vampiroidism.”
Strauss, “How ‘Twilight,’ other dark fiction affect teen brains.”
902 Ibid.
901
463
reportedly have been biting each other – hard – and then licking or sucking
the blood. ‘These are kids who think they are real vampires,’ said Dr. Orly
Avitzur, the medical advisor to Consumers Union, the agency that publishes
Consumer Reports magazine.”903
Despite the evidence that America’s obsession with paranormal entertainment
has resulted in an increase in vampirism, Wicca, and the Occult, many
Christians find themselves defending these forms of entertainment. Often this is
because they themselves have become overly attached to the stories and
characters, and they don’t wish to relinquish them.
Like it or not, America’s obsession with paranormal entertainment is reshaping
its view of reality. This is not to say that we must fear or ban paranormal
entertainment, but it does mean that we should stop trivializing its potential
impact. Before we as Christians pursue and defend the next paranormal fad,
we should pause and seriously consider whether the benefits truly outweigh the
potential risks. By minimizing spiritual powers and glamorizing sin, these forms
of paranormal entertainment pose a serious threat to our spiritual well-being.
903
Aleccia, “Love Bites.”
464
Appendix C.4
Witchcraft in the Church
According to Hollywood, witchcraft is practiced in dark and secluded areas
surrounded by Occult symbols. The spells are often complicated and require an
assortment of exotic—and often disturbing—ingredients. Moreover, the witches
are society’s outcasts or individuals who have sold their souls to the Devil.
Occasionally, a more tame and juvenile form of witchcraft is portrayed. These
rituals are practiced during slumber parties and in the halls of high schools.
The spells are intended to invoke true love, to manipulate authority figures, and
to enact revenge. These stereotypes may make for entertaining tales, but they
are far too restrictive. The truth is, witchcraft can be practiced virtually
anywhere, by anyone, to accomplish almost any goal.
Shocking as it may be, even pastors and Christian leaders can succumb to the
promises and allure of witchcraft. In fact, this has been occurring for thousands
of years. In the Old Testament, God repeatedly condemned Israel’s religious
and state leaders for practicing witchcraft. An example of this can be found in
Ezekiel 13:1–2, and 20–23:
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the
prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy
from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’” … “Therefore thus
465
APPENDIX C.4 – WITCHCRAFT IN THE CHURCH
says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against your magic bands with which
you hunt the souls like birds, and I will tear them from your arms, and I
will let the souls whom you hunt go free, the souls like birds. Your veils
also I will tear off and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall
be no more in your hand as prey, and you shall know that I am the
LORD. Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I
have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he
should not turn from his evil way to save his life, therefore you shall no
more see false visions nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out
of your hand. And you shall know that I am the LORD.”
God condemned Israel’s prophets for prophesying falsely and for employing
Occult practices. Prophets were the pastors of the Old Testament. They were
called by God to speak forth His Word to the people. In Ezekiel 13, we
discover that there were some who were not truly called by God, yet they
presented themselves to the people as prophets—as religious leaders who
spoke forth the Word of God. Their inspiration was self-induced, and they
used magic to ensnare the people in their deception.
Ezekiel 13 is a prophecy against witchcraft. These religious leaders were
creating magical charms. In their book Scripture and Other Artifacts, Phillip
King and Michael Coogan write:
In the closing verses of Ezekiel 13 the prophet turns his attention to
magic practices whose details remain obscure… Two key terms are
kesatot and mispabot…. The kesatot are “sewn” on the arms, while the
mispabot are made “on the head of every height”...In modern times
archaeological discoveries and texts from Babylonia in particular have
shed further light on what might be involved: G. A. Cooke cited
Hellenistic figurines from Tell Sandahannah (Mareshah) in Palestine with
wire twisted around their arms and ankles … and a magical text from
466
Babylonia that speaks of white and black wool being bound to a person
or to someone’s bed. … J. Herrmann [notes] that both words can be
related to Akkadian verbs, kasu and sapabu, which mean respectively “to
bind” and “to loose.” … Herrmann also drew attention to texts in which
these verbs were used in a specifically magical sense. … This text indicates
that, whatever the objects were, their function was to act as “binders” and
“loosers” in a magical sense, in other words as means of attack and
defense in sorcery.904
Furthermore, these religious leaders were performing divination which is the
practice of using magic to see the future. The use of magical charms and
divination were forbidden practices according to Deuteronomy 18:9–11
where God commands, “‘When you come into the land that the LORD your
God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of
those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son
or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes
or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a
necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,” Therefore, in Ezekiel 13, God
declares that He is against these magical practices and those who perform
them.
Israel’s religious leaders in Ezekiel 13 were practicing witchcraft in the name
of the Lord to accomplish “the Lord’s work.” Similarly, in Ezekiel 8, God
declares that the religious leaders who lived and served in His temple were, in
fact, witches. God reveals that He had been driven far from His own sanctuary
in anger because of the detestable practices of these religious leaders. Rather
than worship the true God in holiness and truth, they had erected within the
temple an idol that provoked God’s jealousy. Within the walls of God’s
904
Phillip King and Michael Coogan, Scripture and Other Artifacts: Essays on the Bible and
Archaeology in Honor of Philip J. King (Westminster John Knox, 1994), 121, Source: Horn,
Apollyon Rising 2012, 175.
467
sanctuary, the religious leaders were practicing “vile abominations.” As a result,
God set Himself against these “men of God.”
In Scripture, God repeatedly condemns the political and religious leaders of
Israel for engaging in witchcraft. In Ezekiel 13:20, we learn that the people of
Israel were ensnared—they had been drawn in and trapped—by the example
and exhortations of their religious leaders. Rather than be appalled by the
detestable practices occurring within the walls of God’s temple, they had been
deceived into believing that those practices were normal and acceptable to
God.
Unfortunately, witchcraft has again found a safe haven within the walls of
God’s house. Too many pastors have introduced into their churches an idol
that provokes God’s jealously. This can be anything that is valued above God
and His commands. For some of these churches, the pastor may not have
introduced the idol, but he has refused to prevent its arrival and to teach
against it. As such, the people have been fooled into believing that these
practices are normal and acceptable to God. Ultimately, they have driven God
out of their sanctuaries.
Anyone can practice witchcraft. This is because witchcraft is merely the
manipulation of spiritual forces to accomplish one’s own will. This is why the
Bible defines witchcraft as rebellion and defiance against God (1 Sam.
15:23905). At its core, witchcraft is when an individual seeks to accomplish
his will instead of God’s will by manipulating spiritual forces.
905
1 Samuel 15:23 (ESV): “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as
iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from
being king.”
1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV): For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and
idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being
king.
468
Today’s church has become enamored with methods to manipulate spiritual
forces to accomplish one’s own will. In other words, today’s church has
become enamored with witchcraft. Let’s consider some examples of how we
see this in modern churches.
Circles of Power:
The lead pastor of National Community Church Mark Batterson, has created a
book and teaching series called The Circle Maker. It advocates learning “how
to pray in a new way.” Among other things, individuals create circles while
they pray as a means of calling down the power of God and multiplying His
miracles in their lives.906 These may be literal circles drawn on the ground
around them, circular prayer walks, or even figurative circles drawn around a
promise or an idea.
Mark Batterson credits the legend of Honi the Circle Maker as inspiration for
this novel form of praying. Honi belongs to the Jewish mystical traditions
known as “the Kabala,” being mentioned in The Legends of the Jews.
According to the story, on one occasion when Israel needed rain, Honi drew a
circle in the dirt around himself and told God that he would not move out of
the circle until it rained. Soon the sky began to sprinkle rain, but Honi told
God that he expected more rain. It then began to pour down rain, at which
point Honi told God that he wanted a calm rain. Soon it began to rain
calmly.907
Both the ESV and KJV are acceptable translations. The Hebrew word “kashaph” means “to whisper a
spell, that is, to inchant or practise magic.” This word is translated as “witchcraft” in the KJV Bible,
whereas the ESV uses the word “divination.”
906 EnLocal, “Pray In a New Way.”
907 Batterson, “The Legend of the Circle Maker.”
469
Regardless of whether this individual truly existed, the stories about him are
clearly exaggerated or fictitious. In one of the stories, Honi slept underneath a
Carob tree for 70 years.908 At the very least, these stories should not be used
to create Christian doctrines or practice.
Circles are critical to Mark Batterson’s teaching, but they are also a critical
aspect in the rituals of witchcraft. A circle is used to create a sacred space. 909
This may be to protect the practitioner from outside spirits, or it may be to
bind spiritual energy. Often these circles are drawn using chalk or salt, and
some forms of witchcraft teach that a circle should be drawn three times in a
clockwise motion.910 Interestingly enough, this is precisely what is portrayed in
Mark Batterson’s promotional trailer. Mark is shown drawing a chalk circle
around himself three times in a clockwise manner.
There is nothing in Scripture which teaches that we must create circles when
we pray. There is nothing that teaches that praying in a circular path is more
powerful. There is nothing that teaches that circling promises enables God to
accomplish greater things in our lives. There is nothing that teaches that
placing one’s self inside of a circle energizes our prayer. There is nothing that
908
Prero, “YomTov.”
“Creating sacred space or casting a circle means that you are changing the energy
configuration of a room or space within a room to an energy which is neutral, cleansed of any
extraneous vibrations that may not be helpful or may even be jarring to the ritual or ceremony that you
are about to perform. Casting a circle contains, focuses and intensifies the energies that you will raise
during your rite. By clearing, cleansing and sealing a space for your rites, the magickal energy can be
contained and built up for the proper moment of release into the universe.”
(Charboneau-Harrison, “Creating Sacred Space.”)
910 “A ritual circle (or magic circle) is a circle of space marked out by practitioners of many
branches of witchcraft and ritual magic, either to contain energy and form a sacred space, or as a form
of magical protection, or both. It may be marked physically (drawn in salt or chalk, for example) or
merely visualised. The creation of a ritual circle is known as “casting” a circle, and there are many
different techniques. Some traditions say that one must trace around the circle three times in a
clockwise direction (also known as ‘sunward’ or ‘deosil’).”
(“Witchcraft Terms and Tools.”)
909
470
teaches that we have a right to demand things of God in our prayers, as Honi
the Circle Maker did. As Mark Batterson admits, this is a new way of teaching.
It is not established on the faith that was once and for all delivered by the
apostles (Jude 1:3911).
Jesus taught us how to pray, so why do we need to be taught a new way of
praying? (Matt. 6:5–13912). Are we to believe that Mark Batterson has
discovered a more meaningful and powerful method of prayer than Jesus
Christ? Certainly not!
Whether or not Mark Batterson realizes it, he has fallen prey to the false
promises of witchcraft. He encourages people to rely on a formula to
manipulate God into answering their prayers. This formula cannot be found in
Scripture; instead, it depends upon an unreliable account of an individual who
demanded that God act according to his will. As such, the hero of this story
who models this new prayer method embodies a spirit of defiance which,
according to 1 Samuel 15:23,913 is the heart of witchcraft.
911
Jude 1:3: Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I
found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to
the saints.
912 Matthew 6:5–13: “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love
to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I
say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door
and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And
when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be
heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask
him. Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will
be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”
471
The Law of Attraction:
A key doctrine within witchcraft is known as “The Law of Attraction.”
Faehallows School of Magic defines this doctrine in an article titled “Enhance
Your Magic with Law of Attraction,” “Law of Attraction states: Like attracts
like. This means that every thought we think is attracting similar thoughts to it.
The more we focus on a particular thought, the stronger it will get, because
other thoughts like it will be attracted. These thoughts also attract similar
people, places, and things to us.”914 Often this teaching encourages
practitioners to first visualize what they want and then to positively affirm it
with their mouths.
In 2006, this doctrine became particularly popular and widespread through a
self-help book titled The Secret. Due in a large part to the endorsement of
Oprah Winfrey, The Secret was the number one book on The New York
Times Bestseller List for 146 consecutive weeks.915
Remarkably, this doctrine is also a popular doctrine among Christians who
promote self-esteem, purpose, and successful living. (Of course, it is not called
The Law of Attraction among Christians.) Bible teachers such as Kenneth
Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Joyce Meyers, and Joel Osteen teach this method
of accomplishing one’s will and desires. Rick Warren and Robert Schuller have
also practiced this method within their ministries.
Some examples of popular Christian books which teach this method of
witchcraft include:

The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
914
Wulf, “Enhance Your Magic.”
“Making of The Secret: Official Web Site of The Secret and The Power,” TheSecret.tv,
Source: Wikipedia, “The Secret.”
915
472






Power Thoughts: 12 Strategies to Win the Battle of the Mind by
Joyce Meyers
Me and My Big Mouth by Joyce Meyers
Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle of Your Mind by Joyce
Meyers
The Secret Power of Speaking God’s Word by Joyce Meyer
Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential by Joel
Osteen
Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day by
Joel Osteen
Nowhere does the Bible teach that we can manipulate reality through
visualization and verbal affirmation. We are not told to meditate upon money, a
job promotion, a new car, etc. for our prosperity. Instead, we are told to
meditate upon God’s Word. Psalm 1:1–3 says, “Blessed is the man who
walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor
sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on
his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of
water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that
he does, he prospers.”
Sex:
Sexual relations is a key element in witchcraft. It is an empowering act. It is an
act of worship.916 Likewise, pastor of Fellowship Church Ed Young Jr. teaches
916
“In magick we manipulate a certain amount of energy into a desired direction; for that we
specify a goal, raise energy and point it into the wished direction (release the energy) to achieve a
manifestation in our physical reality. In sex magick we basically focus on a goal by affirmation,
visualization etc.; we raise much energy through prolonged sexual arousal and we release the energy at
the moment of orgasm. The goal in sex magick can be the achievement or attraction of anything
473
that sex is an empowering act of worship. He has written a book called
Sexperiment which teaches that if a person has sex in different places in his
home for seven days, then God will bless his marriage. Founder and former
pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church Rob Bell has also written a book called Sex
God: Exploring the Endless Connections Between Sexuality and Spirituality.
Rituals:
Witchcraft emphasizes rituals to release spiritual powers. In order for the ritual
to be a success and the power to be unleashed, there are specific steps which
must be done in the proper order and in the correct way. For many churches,
worship has become such a ritual. Utilizing a specific order of up-tempo and
slower songs, lighting, and prayers, the worship leader seeks to release God’s
power in the service. Often this is referred to as “God’s anointing.”
Supposedly, worship accomplishes something powerful within the life of the
Christian, such as creating a greater intimacy with God. Thus, worship is
transformed into a formula, which if done correctly, grants the worshipper
something meaningful.
This approach to worship is not honoring to God. King David exhorts us in
Psalm 29:2 to worship the Lord because He deserves glory and honor,
“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the
splendor of holiness.” Our worship ought to come from the overflow of our
hearts. We should not have to manipulate rhythms and lighting to generate a
particular emotion that we associate with worship. If this is needed to create an
attitude of worship, then we have lost our perspective of who God is. The very
fact that we are able to worship the Lord is due to His overflowing mercy.
wished in the physical world, like a new house, a better relationship or a healing. It can also be the
charging of magickal tools or talismans. And the goal can be spiritual development.”
(Heij, “Introduction to Sex Magick.”)
474
Recognizing who God is, is what produces a genuine attitude of reverence.
David understood this as he writes in Psalm 5:7917 (KJV), “But as for me, I
will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I
worship toward thy holy temple.”
Genuine worship is giving homage to God because of all that He is, and all
that He has done. It is not simply an emotion which can be conjured. Neither
is it an opportunity to receive some special empowerment from God.
Fasting has also become a ritual in some churches which is used to produce
some form of empowerment within the life of a Christian. For example,
Jentezen Franklin has written a book called Fasting: Opening the Door to a
Deeper, More Intimate, More Powerful Relationship with God. He has also
written a book called Fasting to Regain Your Edge.
Communion is still another practice which some churches have transformed
into a ritual used to empower one’s life. For example, Perry Stone has written
a book called The Meal that Heals. He teaches that if a person takes
communion every day, then he will be healed both physically and spiritually.
Christians do not need to practice rituals in order to release God’s power in
their lives. The Apostle Paul declares in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things
through him who strengthens me.” Rather than focus on formulas and rituals,
we ought to be focusing on our relationship with Jesus Christ.
917
Psalm 5:7 (ESV): But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your
house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
Both the ESV and the KJV are acceptable translations. The Hebrew word “shachah,” which is
translated “worship” in the KJV and “bow” in the ESV, means “fall down flat,” “do (make)
obeisance,” “do reverence,” “make to stoop.”
475
Spells:
The correct pronunciation of words is crucial when casting spells. If the word is
mispronounced, it fails to release its power. Today there is a movement known
as “The Sacred Name Movement” which teaches that we can only be saved if
we call upon God’s true Hebrew name and pronounce it correctly. They teach
that the entire Bible was originally written in Hebrew, but the Greeks re-wrote
it and corrupted the true name of Jesus. They believe this despite the fact that
there is no evidence indicating that the New Testament was written in Hebrew.
In fulfillment of prophecy, most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew,
but the entire New Testament was written in Greek (Isa. 28:11;918 1 Cor.
14:21–22919). Nevertheless, The Sacred Name Movement teaches that only
those who call upon God’s true Hebrew name—not the name of Jesus—will
be saved.
In defiance of proper etymology, the Sacred Name Movement teaches that
“Jesus” and “Lord” are pagan names for God and must be rejected. According
to Ahayah Yashiya, “The name Jesus is from the Greek Iesus, which is derived
from a Greek goddess. It’s also connected to the Greek god Zeus. In Spanish
the name Jesus is pronounce Hey-ZEUS.”920 According to this teaching,
God’s true name is Hebrew. If we call on the name of Jesus, then we are not
calling on God’s true name. Therefore, we cannot be saved.
Great emphasize is placed on the pronunciation of the name, but there is no
consensus within the movement regarding the correct pronunciation. This is
918
Isaiah 28:11: For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the LORD will speak
to this people,
919 1 Corinthians 14:21–22: In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by
the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the
Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for
unbelievers but for believers.
920 Yashiya, “JESUS is a PAGAN GOD.”
476
largely because the Jews did not speak God’s name aloud, so there are no
records of how it was pronounced. Despite the belief that mispronouncing
God’s name prevents a person from being saved and receiving God’s power in
his life, according to one of the Sacred Name websites, the following versions
of God’s true name are used within this movement:
YHVH YHWH Yahweh Yahveh Yaveh Yaweh Jehova Jehovah Jahova
Jahovah Yahova Yahovah Yahowah Jahowa Jahowah Yahavah Jahavah
Yahowe Yahoweh Jahaveh Jahaweh Yahaveh Yahaweh Jahuweh
Yahuweh Jahuwah Yahuwah Yahuah Yah Jah Yahu Yahoo Yaohu Jahu
Yahvah Jahvah Jahve Jahveh Yahve Yahwe Yauhu Yawhu Iahu Iahou
Iahoo Iahueh
Jeshua, Yeshua, Yeshuah, Yehshua, Yehshuah, Yeshouah, Y'shua,
Y'shuah, Jeshu, Yeshu, Yehoshua, Yehoshuah, YHVHShua,
YHVHShuah, Yhvhshua, Yhwhshua, YHWHShua, YHWHShuah,
Yhvhshuah, Yhwhshuah, Yahvehshua, Yahwehshua, Yahvehshuah,
Yahwehshuah, Yawhushua,Yahawshua, Jahshua, Jahshuah, Jahshuwah,
Jahoshua, Jahoshuah, Jashua, Jashuah, Jehoshua, Jehoshuah, Yashua,
Yashuah, Yahshua, Yahshuah, Yahushua, Yahushuah, Yahuahshua,
Yahuahshuah, Yahoshua, Yahoshuah, Yaohushua, Yaohushuah,
Yauhushua, Iahoshua, Iahoshuah, Iahushua, Iahushuah, YAHO-hoshuWAH921
The Sacred Name Movement teaches that God’s true name—something
known as the Tetragrammaton—is not so much a name as it is a creative
force. This is no different from what the Occult teaches. According to the
Servants of Light School of Occult Science, “The Four Worlds and the Four
Elements correspond with the Four Letters of the Tetragrammaton (YodHeh-Vav-Heh), which is the so-called Incommunicable Name of God which,
921
477
“Restoration of the Sacred Name.”
in occult science, represents a magical formula of supreme universal
importance.”922
Today people can find Sacred Name Bibles where the words “God,” “Lord,”
“Jehovah,” and “Jesus” have been replaced with God’s “true” name, such as
The Scriptures, The Sacred Name King James Bible, and Hebraic-Roots
Version.923 There are also Sacred Name churches such as the Assembly of
Yahweh located in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas, and the House of
Yahweh located in Texas.
Many of God’s people have become ensnared by witchcraft introduced to them
by their religious leaders. Too often we think of a witch or a wizard in its
caricature form. We assume that a practitioner of witchcraft will be evidently
evil. We do not expect to be taught witchcraft from a handsome, smiling
individual such as Joel Osteen. We do not expect that witchcraft may underpin
such seemingly spiritual teachings as circling God’s promises and learning to
pray in a new and more powerful way. We do not believe that such a sacred
act as communion could ever become a ritual of witchcraft.
Those who are discerning enough to recognize the error of these teachings are
berated. It is common to hear such statements as: “What gives you the right to
question the motives of other Christians?” “How can you be so certain that
you understand the Bible correctly and the others do not?” “Methods may
differ, but isn’t the important thing that God is being glorified?” “Look at how
many people have been positively influenced; God must be blessing it.”
Through such statements the dissenting voices are silenced or compelled to
accept these practices and teachings as being normal and of God. And
922
923
Servants of Light School of Occult Science, “An introduction.”
Wikipedia, “Sacred Name Bibles.”
478
witchcraft continues to be practiced within churches. Consequently, one can
only wonder how closely today’s Christian church mirrors Ezekiel’s vision from
God in Ezekiel 8 and 13. To what extent is the church seeking to manipulate
spiritual forces to accomplish its will rather than submit to God’s will?
479
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